The Hunger Games Galaxies
by War292004
Summary: The Hunger Games Galaxies main story is here. As each hopeful tribute makes his/her way into the arena, what will happen? Don't forget to read the introduction sections for your favorite fandoms. May the odds be ever in your favorite characters' favor. Part 13/13.
1. Chapter 1

**The Hunger Games Galaxies**

**BEFORE YOU READ:**

Before you begin this story, please note: each district does have its own introduction. Click my author name and read whichever fandoms you are interested in (they are all listed in my profile by district). It chronicles the Reaping as seen through the eyes of the tributes and their friends/families. Because of this, there are SPOILERS below. Proceed only when ready to continue.

May the odds be ever in your favorite characters' favor.

Chapter One: The Parade and Interviews

The same feeling of excitement and anticipation filled you again, as it did every year, with the start of the Hunger Games just around the corner. For weeks, it was all anybody had been talking about. This year's Game Gods had completely turned the game on its head with its new rules. No sponsoring. A double-helping of tributes. Relaxed age restrictions. A winning district possibility, as opposed to a single victor. Even the selected tributes were a shock, and the Reapings had been full of even more twists and turns and drama than usual.

You recalled the dozens of conversations you'd had with others in the previous two weeks since the Reaping. Though the no sponsoring rule was not quite as popular among the Gods, that only meant an absolute explosion in wagering. The gamblers and the wealthy wagered not only on victors, but how many kills or assists each tribute would receive, the dates of each person's death, which district would have the best kill/assist/death ratio, finishing dates, and even some brave souls who decided to wager on what other surprises the Game Gods might have in store for the arena itself.

Finally, as the Seals appeared in the skies of all the heavens and the Welcoming Hymn began to echo around the stadium, the stands erupted into excited cheers. You had to stand on your feet to see past the others jumping wildly and excitedly around you, just to catch a glimpse of the announcers sitting on the stage down in the center of the arena. Only one MC stood on the stage at the moment, Caesar. He'd been doing the Hunger Games interview for generations, and to this day his suit was simple, crisp, and pressed, with a single flower on the lapel. His beaming smile could be seen even at the highest end of the stadium, as he stood in the center of the stage, soaking in the applause.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Gods of all Ages and Walks of Life! It's is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2012 Hunger Games!" he roared.

The screams were deafening, and it took more than a few seconds before your ears cleared out properly. Around the stadium, you could see others holding various little trinkets and banners for their favorite districts. Some even had flags with portraits of their favorite tributes on them already. The most fanatic fans were always the easiest to pick out, and one enormous banner just off to your right had every single female tribute's face on it.

"Our Tributes have been making their way through the Parade route, and I've been informed that they'll be arriving here in the main area in approximately five minutes," continued Caesar. "So… until they come… let's bring out a special guest to tell you a little bit about this year's games. It is my great pleasure to introduce to you… Game God Delta!"

Nobody walked on stage, but you weren't expecting him to. The Game Gods could never be seen until the Hunger Games were over. Instead, the large screen above the stage flashed the Seal of the Gods again, before slowly fading to a beautiful image of the surrounding universe, swirling and sliding slowly through time.

"Thank you, Caesar," came the pleasant, calm voice of Delta. "It's a pleasure to be with you all this evening."

"The pleasure is all ours, Delta!" Caesar responded. "We know you're hard at work preparing for the big day tomorrow… so we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us!"

"Well you are right about one thing… we are hard at work… and, starting tomorrow, you're all going to experience a Hunger Games like nothing you've ever experienced before," Delta replied.

"Is that so? Well… I can assure you… we anxiously await the start! But… you know…" Caesar said. "Can't you just give us a little hint…? What do you say folks, how about we have Delta show us a little bit about the arena before our brave Tributes get here?"

There was another roar that rattled your senses. Caesar grinned and turned to look at the screen. Cheers and chants rolled around the stadium, begging them for something, even a small hint, of what was to come. Finally, Delta regained control over the audience by calling for a brief moment of quiet.

"If I give you a quick taste of what to expect tomorrow… will you let me be?" he asked.

"I think we can all agree with that, right?" Caesar said. "After all… don't want to spoil it too much."

"All right… well… here we are, then…" said Delta.

The screen flickered and switched over to a new scene. As you stared at the screen, it began to show beautiful, sweeping shots of an outdoor arena. Each shot showed a forest or a meadow or rolling hills or maybe even a small brook or lake; an idyllic paradise seemingly untouched by mankind.

"Those of you who reign over the forests and nature will be pleased with this year's… accommodations," said Delta. "This breathtaking beauty is approximately 20 square units with plenty of room for our tributes to explore… and, of course, combat each other. But… all is not as it appears…"

"Oh…? How do you mean?" asked Caesar.

"Allow me to demonstrate," said Delta, as the camera began to zoom in to various points around the map. "Hidden among each blade of grass, each gnarled root, and along the banks of the streams and lakes lies untold treasures, should our tributes be wise (or, perhaps, lucky) enough to find them. And, of course, the jewel of each Hunger Games, the Cornucopia, will be making its reappearance."

"… but with so many tributes… how big must this Cornucopia be?" asked Caesar.

"Well… okay… I guess I can let you in on a little secret, but this is it, okay?" Delta replied. "This year… we are going to have _two_ Cornucopias in the Hunger Games, the North and the South Cornucopia!"

"Unheard of! Is there no end to the Game Gods' shocks?" asked Caesar.

"If I were a betting God… I daresay there'd be several new pools of betting going on right now," said Delta.

You couldn't agree more. Already, you could hear people around the stands buzzing with new ideas, the most popular of which being a sort of bracket where you matched up the starting positions of each tribute on each pedestal around each Cornucopia. Not to mention which Cornucopia would do better in the Games itself, and what some of the tips and tricks would be for each one.

"Well, Delta, we don't want to spoil the whole Games for our viewers… so how about I ask you a couple of other questions while we await the arrival of our Tributes? There has been some controversy over this year's lack of sponsorship… care to respond?"

"Yes. This was a very tough decision we made… and we understand the frustration, because this has been an integral part of the Games since their inception," replied Delta. "Fear not, however! Your Game Gods have ensured that your favorite tributes will be well-equipped and ready for action… but I cannot elaborate too much more on that."

"Well, as we all know, this is a spectacle of battle and glory of the humankind within the Twelve Districts… what can you tell us about this year's weaponry?" asked Caesar.

"This year, we've decided to look to the Districts themselves. The weaponry will be a conglomeration of different technologies and magics found in each of the Districts. For the past two weeks, your tributes have been demonstrating their prowess in combat in the Training Center, as well as learning survival skills and each other's' technology and habits," explained Delta.

"Any interesting stories we should know from the Training department?" asked Caesar, teasingly.

"Now, Caesar, you ask us that every year! You know that's top secret… and don't try and trick some poor District 1 girl into almost blurting it out again this year, you sly dog…" Delta said.

You could hear a ripple of appreciative laughter rolling around the stadium. The Caesar-Game God banter was always a popular ice breaker to get the excitement levels up. Finally, the distant sound of trumpets reached your ears and you, like everyone else, turned your attention back to the opening of the arena.

"Oh! Delta, I'm afraid we're running out of time… it looks as though our Tributes are coming around the corner. Ladies, Gentlemen, and Deities all over! Make some noise for the Tributes of the 2012 Hunger Games!" Caesar roared.

You could just barely see them as they entered, along the extensive stands that stretched straight out to the wide open entrance area. One-by-one the massive chariots carrying the Tributes for each district entered. This year, they'd gone with a more traditional horse + "carriage" route, quite a change from the previous year, when they'd used District 4-inspired flying ships to bring everyone in.

The roar of the crowd made it so that it was actually a little hard to hear Caesar as he began to introduce each of the chariots. At times it was easier to see them if you looked to the big screen above Caesar's stage, rather than trying to see the actual carriages themselves.

"Ah yes! First, as always, is District 1. As you're all aware, the priority for District 1 is that of affluent families; these Tributes come from the best that money can buy (in their world, of course)! And as you can see… they've gone with a warrior theme for their Interview, complete with war horses and an old-style chariot!" Caesar explained.

It was surprising how masculine the whole carriage looked. Thinking back to it, you recalled that this was one of the Districts were the first Reaped girl was wearing a boy's uniform for some reason… and the fact that she was clad in a knight's armor, a vague, lost look on her face, didn't really make her seem any more feminine. The other female, taller than her by at least two heads, stood tall and proud, out in front, dramatically facing the audience as they drove by. The other two actual boys stood regally in the background, smiling and waving up to the audience. They wore ornate armor, and the one with the black hair and glasses had a sword at his side.

"And behind them comes District 2!" Caesar announced. "And it would appear… yes, they've created their chariot and given it the name, 'Legacy,' which represents the uniting force behind their coming together in the first place! And, as a District 2 specialty, we're seeing the orbs incorporated into their clothing! Nicely done indeed!"

They couldn't even be more varied if they tried. One of the women was just about as tall as District 1's taller girl, clad in a green cocktail dress and a veil. The taller man stood next to her, his muscles bulging out of his shirt as he kept a stern look on his face. The younger woman likewise kept a stone face as she waved at the audience, and the last boy with a lot of face make-up and a loose-fit purple coat merely stared ahead, a smug smile on his face, barely acknowledging the audience. You found it hard to even imagine them as friends.

"District 3 follows them…!" continued Caesar. "And, as a special bonus with District 3… three of the four tributes are from the same _family!_ What are the odds? I do hope the nice young lady with the different last name doesn't feel too much like the odd girl out…!"

This kind of caught you by surprise, as you assumed the two girls were related since they both had black hair. One of the boys had purple hair, and the other had black and white. The taller boy had a lecherous grin on his face as he waved to the crowd, his other arm thrown around the purple-haired boy, while the girl with the long, straight black hair refused to acknowledge any of the people in the stands, instead staring straight forward, much like District 2's shorter male. The other girl, her hair in tight braids, smiled warmly at you as she waved, and it's almost as if she could see the real you.

Granted, the Tributes were all basically waving at a barrier. They couldn't tell, but there was a barely-visible screen that filtered you and the other Gods, making them appear as just humans like them. Caesar was using a filter as well, though his was a personal one, not a mere field. But… for some reason… you could almost feel like that particular girl could see right through the barrier itself…

"Moving on to District 4! From the skies of Arcadia, we bring another esteemed group of sky-island dwellers. Rumor has it that we've got a fearsome pirate captain and a few members of his fearless crew… but one thing is certain: we scored a top-ranking Admiral from the most powerful country in the world!" Caesar said next.

That was something you were surprised about, even when they brought it up at the Reaping. Even with the age limit relaxations, being basically second-in-command of an entire fleet of sky ships at the age of that blonde boy was an impressive accomplishment… but he didn't seem like he even registered his district mates. The other three waved cheerfully at the audience as they went, but he gave stiff nods and slight waves, completely ignoring the other three District 4 members.

"Moving right along… District 5! As a fun bit of trivia: you'll notice the skeletal horses pulling the chariots? They're known as Thestrals! The ever-prominent magic of District 5's tributes is displayed well… notice that they're all still wearing their school uniforms! Ever loyal until the end," Caesar chirped.

They, too, did their best to smile and wave, but you could tell that they were not nearly into it as much as the others. They were the only group thus far who had tried to match each other in costumes, wearing matching robes, the only difference being a small color palate change with one of the girls. The small crest above her heart was blue, as was her tie, while the other three sported red instead. It probably had something to do with the groups they were sitting with during the Reaping; maybe it signified a town or country or something? You figured it would be better explained during the Interview.

"And now we come to District 6, one of our three highest-winning Districts!" Caesar exclaimed. "As many of you who were watching the Reaping noticed, it was one of the most exciting displays for the 2012 Hunger Games… among the Tributes: a princess and a noble (from the same country, no less!), a high-ranking guardian for their theological leader… and a young man who calls himself a 'replica.' Do these four have what it takes?"

Unsurprisingly, the four members of District 6 were dressed in fine clothing befitting that of nobles, though you were more used to seeing this in District 1. The two red-haired men looked identical. You'd have been certain they were twins, if not for the fact that Caesar had already mentioned that he was a "replica," whatever that meant. And he had made another good point… District 6's Reaping was… definitely exciting.

"A round of applause for District 7, the City-Dwellers of their world, who have gone with their traditional school uniforms!" Caesar announced. "Our Tributes this year all sport red bands on their upper left arms, representing the school group SEES, of which they are all members."

The girl in the pink cardigan didn't seem too enthusiastic, though she still gave a smile and a wave as the chariot continued along its track. The other girl with her deep, red hair gave a more legitimate smile, as she gracefully waved at each person, occasionally winking and blowing a kiss. The two boys were much more reserved. The taller one in the purple pea coat and beanie didn't smile and only gave half-waves. The guy with the silver-white hair seemed much more open to waving and grinning at the stands, especially when the redhead girl put an arm on his shoulder.

"From the world of Terca Lumeres comes District 8! Two long-time best friends, one of our few non-human combatants, and a young woman from a guild made famous for hunting monsters… the name of this year's game is apparently 'eclecticism!'" Caesar announced.

You couldn't help but find yourself staring first at the tall female Tribute, whose revealing armor covered very little of her actual body. The thought of her wearing that into the arena (and therefore her chances of survival) played through your head as you examined the other tributes. The blonde male held himself with a certain air of nobility and professionalism, while the young man with the long, dark hair grinned cockily and waved at everyone as they proceeded down the lane. The younger girl (one of the youngest participating Tributes, if you recalled correctly) also waved, though her face displayed a degree of haughtiness, far superior to the dark-haired male's cockiness.

"And just behind them is District 9! With an average age of just 13 years old, these four Tributes are the youngest participants in this year's Hunger Games! Equally interesting… three of our four brave children are at 25 to 50% elf!" Caesar said.

That had been another huge point of contention in conversations you'd had over the past fortnight. District 9, though historically one of the best-performing Districts, wasn't given very good odds for this year's games. You couldn't wait to see what scores the Game Gods had given the tributes this year. As for the tributes themselves, they all seemed fairly cheerful, though the pink-haired girl with pigtails had a distant look in her eyes that reminded you of the scary girl from District 3. The way he held himself, however, you could tell the blonde boy with the longer hair was the unofficial leader of the operation.

"And now let's give it up for District 10," Caesar continued. "Those of you who took the time to view the District 10 Pre-Hunger Games will note that Angora was the victor, so all of the tributes were Reaped from the country of Fortuna! And, as you saw in the Reaping, it very quickly became a family affair, with one brother volunteering to protect his sister, and another sibling group reaped, though thwarted by the brave actions of one courageous young woman."

The Tributes on District 10's chariot looked incredibly unremarkable. Their strength came in their unity; they each stood directly in the center, gripping each other's hands, with the two on the end waving to the audience, while each smiled and nodded in acknowledgement to those in the stands. For the third time, you got the strangest feeling from the redhead young woman with her hair in a bun. Her emerald eyes seemed to be piercing the barrier, as if she could see what those in the stands really looked like. The others didn't seem to notice, though you counted at least a dozen banners for the other District 10 female, the one with the shining blue eyes and the shimmering black hair.

"From District 11 comes a group of apparent virtuosos," said Caesar. "Every tribute here was selected from what the folks in District 11 call a 'Glee Club,' which, from what my research has taught me, includes performing songs and feats of physical strength and dexterity for others. Will this experience in the performance aspect give them any sort of edge here in the Hunger Games?"

You've known that District 11 has had a rough couple of decades, and, frankly, there was nothing too terribly impressive about the group that stood on their chariot this year, either. The one guy with the Mohawk was trying the whole cocky-wave thing, but it's debatable whether he was even half as good as the girl from District 8 was. The blonde guy and the blonde girl stood tall and waved, but it was almost like they thought they were at one of their homecoming or prom parade things. The other District 11 girl seemed mostly afraid of the stands, and her hand trembled as she waved. You knew she had been pegged as one of the least likely ones to survive past the bloodbath.

"And, finally, District 12, the country-folk counterparts to District 7!" Caesar announced. "Looks like they're one of the districts whose stylists actually got the memo about themes! According to him, they've gone with depictions of Gods from their Mythology… though… heh… I must say they've put a definite spin on it!"

The tall boy with the silver hair carried a long stick with a sword blade attached to the end of it, cloaked in a long trench coat whose belt-buckle fasteners were kept open towards the bottom. The shorter guy had his orange hair spiked high, a necklace of blades spinning around his neck, and a wider hoop of blades held by some unseen force, also spinning around his chest. The taller girl with the purplish hair wore an ornate headpiece that looked like a several-layered glass mirror sticking out of the front, reflecting the stands but displaying her grin. The short girl had a helmet as well, one that looked vaguely like the profile of a bird's head, ending with a sharp beak at the front. She carried a katana on her side as well. And, for their part, at least they made an enthusiastic showing, especially the mirror-layer girl, who seemed to be soaking up the attention as if born to it. Like the one girl from District 10, she had a ton of banners and admirers all throughout the stands.

"There you have it! The first glimpse of our Tributes!" Caesar said, which was followed by yet another massive cheer. "Now… once everyone comes around front here, we'll invite our Tributes up on the stage for a quick interview section, to let you get to know them a little better… and, more importantly for some of you… to get their final grade from the Game Gods! We will start with District 1 as soon as they park the carriages… let's give another round of applause for them, huh?"

You watched as the horses and carriages were parked in the semi-circle around the front of the stadium. Each of the Tributes was helped down from their chariots (the ones from District 12 especially needed assistance, thanks to their costumes). They went to the first tier, where large, comfortable chairs awaited them. Once they sat down and the crowd calmed itself somewhat, Caesar nodded to the District 1 Tributes, and they made their way up the staircase, again smiling and waving to the crowd as they took their seats on the main stage.

"So!" Caesar said, leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands together. "So here we have… Kyoya Ootori, Benio Amakusa, Haruhi Fujioka, and Kaoru Hitachiin… I do hope I've pronounced those all correctly!"

"Correct as always, Caesar," replied the black-haired boy with the glasses, Kyoya, with a smile. "Thank you for the wonderful introduction."

"But of course!" replied Caesar. "So… since you're one of the few that went with a theme this year… why the warriors? Whose idea was this?"

"It was a combination between all of us, though Miss Amakusa was paramount in nailing down the finer details," said Kyoya, turning and smiling widely at the taller girl. "I believe she can better answer that."

"Thank you, Ootori," replied the tall chick, Benio. "Our reasoning behind this was the sound, and, might I add, correct belief that women are just as capable of men when it comes to questions of combat. Indeed, in the entire written history of the Hunger Games, only about two and a half dozen more male victors have emerged, and in the past fifty years, it's exactly even!"

"Amazing… your eye for detail and facts is impressive, Benio!" Caesar said. "The designer of these costumes has really brought the masculine side out for all of you. Who came up with these designs?"

"That was my mother, actually," said the redheaded Kaoru. "She's a world-famous designer back in District 1. I believe information will be distributed to our audience with their going-away packages after tonight's presentation."

"Amazing, folks! District 1 always thinks of us, even when it is them sacrificing themselves for our entertainment," said Caesar, which resulted in another huge round of applause. "Now, unfortunately, our time is a bit shorter than usual due to our sheer number of guests, so let's talk to each of our candidates directly, starting with you, Kyoya. From what your friends and family back in District 1 have said, you excel in planning and creating… do you think this will give you an edge in the Arena?"

"I find it fair to assume this, yes," replied Kyoya, grinning again. "Though my duties often involved creating and planning club events for my school, I have an well-meaning, but often incredibly foolish group of friends, each of whom often threw wrenches into my best laid plans… so learning to adapt and respond has definitely given me every chance of survival out there."

"I can only imagine!" Caesar said, chuckling. "Now… on to you, Benio. As we saw during your Reaping, you were clearly very popular with your all-girls school, yet you refused to allow even one of the reported 87 others volunteer for you in the arena. Why is that?"

"Though women can prove just as capable as any man in the fight to the death… to subject these delicate flowers to such a barbaric ritual is simply unforgivable!" Benio said, standing dramatically (and pulling the until-then silent Haruhi up to stand with her). "I, though one female against a world of destruction, would never allow another to take my place… my only goal is the safeguard of myself and this beautiful damsel… and, as God as my witness, I shall not harm another female in the arena. None of them should be here, and I will not be the one to take their life."

"A bold statement indeed!" Caesar said, grinning widely as many parts of the crowd roared its approval. "Oh! Haruhi, since we've already got you standing up here… you were in a boy's uniform when you were at the Reaping. Do you, perhaps, share Miss Amakusa's persuasion or thoughts on females in the arena?"

"I… guess?" Haruhi responded, her eyes wide and thoughtful. "I mean… growing up… gender has never really been a big deal to me. Whether you're a boy or a girl doesn't matter… I suppose we all just have to buckle down and do what we need to do starting tomorrow… so… my plan is to do my best and keep my spirits up, I think!"

"Well, Haruhi, I can assure you that you have quite the fan base out there in the realms of the Gods," said Caesar. "Best of luck to you. Now… Kaoru… though you one of the Golden Children of District 1, you have kept a fairly low profile. What is going to be the thing that keeps you going in the arena?"

"Well… I guess it would have to be my twin brother, Hikaru," said Kaoru. Tears welled up in his eyes as he began to speak of him. "It… it was very tough, saying goodbye… We've never been away from each other for more than a couple of hours… we still shared the same bed, the same tastes in food and music… and… and now that I'm here and he's not… it's just hard. But… he's my strength. And… before we last said goodbye… I promised him I'd be back. And that's just what I plan to do."

"Well…" Caesar said, patting him on the shoulder. "Another heartwarming tale of brotherly love and sacrifice… best of luck to you. Now, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to reveal the scores for District 1's Tributes!"

After a brief round of excited screams, a wave of silence descended on the stands, with only occasional whispers or leftover cries from Kaoru's emotional story occasionally breaking it. You were quite interested to see how District 1 would fare, remembering the utter disappointment of last year's numbers (and the number of Gods who lost a lot of money, despite one of the District 1 males getting a near-perfect score).

"As you know, during the training, the Game Gods have watched and judged our Tributes. Tonight, they will award each person a score out of 12, based on their past training and the way they acted in their final examinations earlier today. They will be given a brief chance to respond to the score, and then we will move on to District 2. Game God Delta, if you please…"

"Benio Amakusa… your score is 7 points," said Delta.

"Very well," said Benio, glancing to Haruhi. "Perhaps my mind was too focused on protecting this lovely gem during today's exercises… what's done is done."

"Haruhi Fujioka… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"Oh… I'll have to try harder tomorrow, then," said Haruhi, though her muted reaction was even more of a shock than the gasps you'd heard around the stadium when her score was announced.

"Kaoru Hitachiin… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"Yeah… I kind of figured…" muttered Kaoru. "I've got nothing to say to that."

"Kyoya Ootori… your score is 10 points," said Delta.

"Heh… as to be expected," said Kyoya, smiling dangerously for the first time. "Like I said just after our Reaping… I don't intend to lose the games."

"Well… a disappointing score for two of you, but for Benio and especially Kyoya, some encouraging news for District 1!" cheered Caesar. "Let's give another big hand for Kyoya, Haruhi, Benio, and Kaoru! District 2, if you wouldn't mind coming up next…"

As they exchanged spots with District 1, District 2's tributes waved to the stands, all of them finally smiling. The taller girl with the veil stood and waved well after the others had sat down, only taking her seat after the other girl finally stood up and guided her to it herself.

"So… we have here a Chloe Valens, Will Raynard… and I guess it's just Grune and Jay, with no last names given," said Caesar. "Not the first time we've seen it! In fact, as I understand it, it's quite common in District 2 for many to go without surnames. Welcome! Just a quick question… your chariot, what is the Legacy?"

"The Legacy is our home… a massive, continent size ship," replied the huge, muscular Will. "It's the first place we all met."

"Yes… though some of us come from other… er… non-floating continents," added Chloe.

"The craftsmanship is great! Your stylist seems to have put more effort into your float than your costumes… though District 2's clothing is usually more innately beautiful than other District's, so I suppose it's forgivable," said Caesar. "Well, then, right to it then! Will Raynard, you are, by far, the oldest of all of the tributes in this year's games, thanks to the lax restrictions, and you've been given excellent odds in the wagering pools. How do you think this advantage will help you?"

"Well, I would say that I would have a fair shot, given my physical condition and my age itself," said Will. "Also, given my background as a sheriff, I imagine I'll be able to react to any problems or situations with absolute efficiency."

"Ah… a man of the law… perhaps one of the last sources of civility we'll see in the arena? Time will tell…" said Caesar. "Miss Valens… you are part of a noble lineage of knights back on Shining Blue. Would you say this has given you unfair advantage in this year's Hunger Games?"

"While my previous training may be a factor, don't forget that they've sealed our Eres… that is, our combat abilities. Those from other districts with similar abilities have been sealed, as well, so it will take a lot of work for me to get back to where I once was," responded Chloe, her tone calm and even. "Be that as it may, I do believe I will have a slight edge, especially if I can get the proper equipment and weapons."

"You are correct; you are all technically at about the same baseline level, minus your two weeks of training, of course," said Caesar. "Now… Jay, you have really been one of our more mysterious combatants in this year's Games; nobody, not even me, knows much about you. What would you like to say to the Realms?"

"Secretive is simply my nature," said Jay, his pure-white face cracking a mischievous smirk. "I see no need to reveal anything about myself; you never know what your enemies may notice about you to use against you. The same could be said for the rest of my fellow Tributes. Suffice it to say… I'm more than capable of winning the Hunger Games."

"Another bold statement!" said Caesar. "Certainly going to be a crowd favorite, simply based on the mystery surrounding you. Now… Miss Grune… might I say, you have been added to the Top Five Beauties of the Hunger Games. What do you have to say to your fans?"

"Oh… how sweet of you!" Grune said, smiling vapidly. "I would just love to give each and every one of you a gigantic hug and a big kiss… I will give it my all in the arena. Charge!"

"Haha… well, Grune, we can't wait to see what kind of entertainment you'll be providing us in the arena," said Caesar, as Grune stood up briefly from her seat and raised her fist limply into the air. "Now then… the time has come for your scores! Delta, if you would?"

"Grune... your score is 9 points!" Delta announced.

"Oh wow!" Grune said. "The lights here are really bright, aren't they? Hello, everyone!"

"… Jay… your score is 11 points!" said Delta.

Jay grinned. "Ah… so they were paying attention. Very good."

"Will Raynard… your score is 5 points," said Delta.

"Five, huh? Well… clearly I'm being low-balled," said Will. "I can assure you I will outperform that number quite easily."

"Chloe Valens… your score is 5 points," said Delta.

"Well, Will, looks like the Game Gods have decided that we need to prove ourselves even more in the arena than we already have. This shouldn't be too hard," said Chloe.

"A near-perfect score for Jay, a high score for Grune… yet low scores for the others. Could this be the Game Gods throwing a little bit of a curve ball at us? You'll have to see when the games start tomorrow. Now, then, let's bring up District 3!" Caesar announced.

As you watched the District 3 members rise and file to the stage, your eye was drawn to the girl with the long, black hair. Again, she ignored the cheering crowd, immediately taking the seat furthest away from Caesar. The others, at least, were kind enough to wave, and smile at the audience.

"Welcome, District 3! We have here Yuki Sohma, Hatsuharu Sohma, Saki Hanajima, and Rin Sohma. Thank you for joining us tonight (not that you had a choice in the matter, haha)!" said Caesar, chuckling as a ripple of laughter tore through the audience. "I think the biggest question on everyone's minds… are the three of you with the last name truly related? And, if so, what effect has this had on your family?"

"It is true, what they've been saying… Haru, Rin, and I are indeed cousins," said Yuki. "The effect, as you might imagine, has been incredibly tough on the family. However… we received our blessings from the Head of our family. So… whatever happens tomorrow… we are prepared."

"And what about your fourth, unrelated member? Has there been any feelings of being an outsider, or left out?" asked Caesar.

"Oh, not at all," said Hanajima, smiling warmly. "The Sohmas have been most gracious in including me in meals and discussions, in our infrequent downtime. I do hope I can repay them over the coming days."

"Well that's heartwarming! It's good to see unity amongst the District! Now then… Yuki," Caesar said. "Much like Miss Amakusa from District 1, you were a beloved figure in your own school… and you refused to allow another to volunteer in your place. What drove you to that decision?"

"Well…" said Yuki after only a slight hesitation. "I… guess you could say that I am a strong believer in fate… or, maybe that's not quite accurate. Responsibility? Perhaps that's it. I've always led my life with a focus on my goals, and what's important. To allow another to take my place after my name was drawn would fly in the face of my own personal code. But do not worry. There are things I must still do back in District 3… so I will make it through the arena. I assure you of this."

"Spoken like a true politician!" Caesar said, jokingly, which caused Yuki to utter a few chuckles, along with the rest of the audience. "Moving on down the line to Mr. Hatsuharu. You and your cousin there were our first chronologically to volunteer as tributes. And I believe you volunteered for two further cousins of yours… seems like there might be some sort of curse on the Sohma family, does it not? Tell us… why?"

"After I saw Rin and Yuki up there… I desired only to protect them," said Hatsuharu, his voice low and almost bored sounding. "At the time, I knew it meant I might be sacrificing my life, but I didn't care. They were my first loves, and nothing was gonna get in my way. I can be stubborn… like an ox, they say. As far as a curse… you don't know the half of it. Oh, also, Ritsu would have been utterly useless in the arena, so… here I am."

"Ah… the beauty of youthful truthfulness," said Caesar, after a roll of applause and laughter tore through the stadium. "Miss Hanajima… you had a sort of reputation around your previous schools… some claimed you had powers, which is oddly a rarity in District 3. Any truth to these rumors, and, if so, will that give you a bit of an edge in the arena?"

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about," said Hana, wide smile on her face as she tilted her head to the side. "Even if that were true… I believe all powers would be sealed by now, would they not? Though… I must admit, during my training… I was drawn to the more… magical variety of weaponry…"

"And that's all we'll say on that subject," said Caesar, cutting her quickly. "Can't give away any training secrets until after the Games, after all. Now… lastly, Miss Rin. It's been no secret around here that you've been very outspoken during training and even your exams today. This is your one chance to say what you want and have the whole realms hear you. What would you like to say?"

"This entire system is bullshit," Rin snarled, her eyes flashing. "The fact that you could even fathom sending such young people to their deaths… what kind of 'Gods' are you? It's a good thing there aren't any sponsors this year, because I sure as hell wouldn't get any. And I don't want any. I don't want your sympathy or your assistance. I'm going to win these games on my own, and return to my family and District 3. That's why I volunteered for my cousin, Kisa. I wasn't about to let her come in. No self-respecting District would ever let that happen to such young people. District 9 especially should be utterly ashamed of themselves for what they let happen. And that's all I have to say about that."

"At long last… we see a girl with such unbridled fight and fury in her," said Caesar, taking the insults to the Gods in stride, yet ignoring them. "If you are ready, Delta, let's have the scores for District 3!"

"Saki Hanajima… your score is 3 points," Delta announced.

"Ah… that's higher than I was expecting… excellent," said Hana, smiling to herself.

"Hatsuharu Sohma… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Hatsuharu roared. "Who the hell assigned these numbers?! I'll show you… a fuckin' three, for real?!"

"Rin Sohma… your score is 4 points," said Delta.

"Ah… I get it. Low-balling my District because of my comments, huh?" Rin said. "That's fine. Go ahead, Gods, bet against us. When District 3 emerges in victory, you'll be the ones that look even more foolish than you already do."

"Yuki Sohma… your score is 10 points," Delta said, ignoring Haru and Rin.

Yuki nodded his head. "I understand. Thank you for your consideration."

"Well, folks, what do you think? Did the Game Gods give biased scores to throw off the betting and deflect interest on District 3… or do they really have a shot at winning the Hunger Games? While you mull that over… let's bring up District 4!"

You could hear a lot of unhappy muttering in the stands around you. Clearly, many of those around you were not impressed with Rin Sohma's blasphemy. You even heard some that hoped she went down first, while others desperately wished they could sponsor a champion who was definitely destined to take out Rin and Rin alone. Still, you joined everyone else in giving a polite round of applause as District 4 took their seats.

"Folks will be happy to remember how District 4's technology entertained at last year's parade… but perhaps it will be this year's group of District 4 Tributes that grants us the biggest entertainment! Say hello to Vyse, Fina, Kirala, and Ramirez! I know we ask this question of everyone from District 4 every year, but I have to know… what's it like being on solid ground without the risk of falling into the sky?"

"Well… it makes walking at the edge of the land a lot less nerve wracking," said Vyse. "But it just lacks the beauty of looking below, y'know?"

"Haha oh I can only imagine! I understand you are from all walks of life and parts of Arcadia, which is a bit of a rarity in this year's Hunger Games. And two of you are rumored to be the last of your kind. What do you have to say to that?"

"Rumors are often entirely false, especially when it concerns District 4," said Ramirez, cutting across everyone else. "You should keep that in mind."

"But… um… well… he's also partly right. R-Ramirez and I are the last two Silvites on Arcadia, specifically," said Fina. "That is… District 4."

"I daresay that gives you a further reason to survive the next few weeks! Procreation of your kinda, right? I'm just joking! Please don't give me that look!" Caesar said, again to appreciative laughter. "Now… starting with you, Kirala. You volunteered for your sister, is that correct? Tell us about that."

"Well… my sister, Urala… she's a kind soul with an enormous heart," said Kirala. "She's not meant to be here, not in the arena. She's got her husband, Hans, and the two are planning to start a family. I have a far better chance of winning, and that's just what I'm going to try and do, so that she can rest easy."

"Sisterly love… how refreshing," said Caesar. "Moving along… Fina, as you said, you're the last of the Silvites on Arcadia, and you're fighting partly for the continuation of your linage. What's it like being the last girl of your entire culture?"

"Um… well… it was very lonely for a long time. But ever since I was able to meet Vyse… and Aika… and everyone else… life has gotten so exciting! It's become one grand adventure after another, and I would just hate for it to end here. That's why… I… I'll fight to survive and win," said Fina.

"I can tell this isn't easy for you… your resolve is admirable," said Caesar. "Vyse… rumor has it that you're a pirate captain. What's that like?"

"It's nothing like any of the pirates from the other Districts, that's for sure," said Vyse, excitedly. "Sailing through the skies, instead of a water-ocean… you couldn't get me to change it for the world. And I plan to get right back to it when we're done with this Hunger Games thing. District 4 is going to win, for sure."

"Your idealism is very catching! I'm sure you've got plenty of fans who will be rooting for you from afar, both in District 4 and the Heavenly Realms!" Caesear exclaimed. "Now, then, Ramirez… my sources tell me there's a bit of… hostility, we'll call it, between you and your District mates… and you're not exactly a fan of one of our rule changes. Care to respond or elaborate?"

"Yes. This whole 'District Victor' thing is foolish," said Ramirez. "There should only be one victor. If you cannot win on your own, you are weak, and useless. I have no intention of sharing the spotlight with anyone, even those from my own District… or race. That is all I have to say to you about that."

"My, my! Such rage! Will we actually see some intra-District violence this year…? I'm sure there's people wagering on it already. In the meantime, District 4… please receive your scores from Delta," said Caesar.

"Fina… your score is 12 points," said Delta.

"I… what?! A… a perfect score? How can that… h-happen?" Fina gasped. "I didn't realize my performance was so… noteworthy…"

"Kirala… your score is 8 points," said Delta.

"Really? I mean, I guess it's on the right half of the spectrum, but it's nothing fancy… I wonder… no matter, I'll make do with it," said Kirala, who still seemed to be a stunned as Fina was.

"Ramirez… your score is 4 points," said Delta.

Ramirez only smirked at this. "Why would I show the Game Gods what I am capable of? So they can design things to purposely thwart me? You will see my true abilities only once I've entered the arena."

"Vyse… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"I'm amazed that Ramirez and I agreed on anything… but this was it, apparently," said Vyse. "Like he said… wait until we get into the arena tomorrow. You'll be amazed."

"And our first perfect score of the night comes out for Fina! A special round of applause for her!" Caesar shouted, ignoring Fina's continued, scandalized look. "And now… let us bring up District 5!"

The buzzing around District 4 was louder, more excited, and much more positive than when District 3 left. The perfect score, Ramirez's fire declaration of war against even his partners, and the insane amount of wagering going on even in the stands made your head spin. Down on stage, District 5 waited for District 4 to fully return to their seats. Then, the four looked at each other, nodded their heads, and with two loud cracks they instantly seemed to teleport from their seats on the second tier to the seats on the main stage area (the blonde girl actually landed so that she was standing in her seat). The audience roared its approval at this.

"Coming in with a bang, I see!" exclaimed Caesar. "Here we have Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Fred Weasley. I'm more surprised that you're allowed to use your own magic… surely it's been sealed since the beginning of your training?"

"Th-that's correct, of course…" said the nervous-looking Hermione. "B-but it was something our stylist modified our robes for."

"Yes… he was quite a nice man," Luna said, smiling serenely while looking almost straight up.

"Now I must ask… you are another one of our Districts who seemed to go for a theme. Could you explain the colors and crests you have?" asked Caesar.

"Oh… it's just our school's colors. We come from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," said Harry. "It's divided into four houses… Fred, Hermione, and I are from Gryffindor, and Luna is from Ravenclaw."

"That's a very interesting set of names! Now, Harry… according to what we've researched, you have a certain nickname in District 5. You're known as 'The Boy Who Lived,'" said Caesar. "How did you get that nickname, and do you think your apparent luck will carry over into the arena?"

You saw Harry's face cloud over immediately at the question. "I'd rather not answer the first part, Caesar. I'm sure you can find plenty of people in District 5 who will be happy to talk for hours about it. But if you're asking whether or not I think I'm going to die in the arena, the answer is 'No.' I still have things to do back in District 5."

"Well with a name like that to live up to, it already sounds like you've got some of the odds in your favor," said Caesar. "Miss Granger… you're also sporting a bit of a reputation around your school as the smartest girl in your class. Do you think your knowledge will be enough to get you through this year's Hunger Games?"

"I… I certainly hope so," Hermione said, sitting straight upper and holding her head high. "After all… I… we, that is… have been training in Defense Against the Dark Arts, ever since our useless teacher instituted a ridiculous policy of non-magic-use. So... we're ready for this, even if she tried to forbid us from doing so."

"Oh… and not to interrupt, but isn't the professor you mentioned one Dolores Umbridge, District 5's representative?" asked Caesar. "I believe she's… ah, there you are, Dolores!"

The cameras had focused to the seating area where all the Representatives from the Districts sat. The focus was on District 5's woman, one that reminded you very heavily of a toad, and she looked positively furious. She did manage to crank out a small, twitchy wave, while she plastered a grotesque smile on her flushed face. Around the stadium, peals of laughter and sarcastic cheers erupted, before Caesar called attention back onto himself.

"Miss Lovegood, from what we've heard about you, your classmates seem to think you're a bit of an… odd duck," said Caesar. "How has this affected you growing up, and do you think this has given you an edge here?"

"Oh… I wouldn't say it's affected me too much, though I've developed a knack for locating hidden and missing objects. I guess that might be something that will aid me starting tomorrow," said Luna. "But other than that… I suppose I have just about as much a chance as anyone from District 5 does. I do rather hope I can meet up with my friends here… at least that might make the Games not quite as horrifying."

"That's very humble of you, Luna. I'm sure you've got your own secret fanbase going around the Realms as well. Moving on… Mr. Weasley, just like the Hitachiin brothers, you are leaving behind a redheaded twin, is that right?" asked Caesar. "Tell us… what was it like being separated from him?"

"It's about as awful as you'd expect," said Fred, flatly. "Imagine being ripped from someone you've spent almost every waking moment with for almost eighteen years. That's the pain I'm going through."

"Such heartbreak. You, your brother, and the Hitachiin brothers have some of the most touching stories of sacrifice and loss that we've ever seen in the Hunger Games," Caesar said. "Now, then, please rise and receive your scores. Maestro Delta, the stage is yours."

"Hermione Granger… your score is 11 points," announced Delta.

"I… I was that impressive…? Really…?" Hermione said, eyes wide. "I… oh my…"

"Luna Lovegood… your score is 8 points," Delta stated.

"Ah… Glippheries. That's what the lights in this stadium remind me of," Luna said. "It's been bothering me all night. I wish Dad could see this."

"… uh… Harry Potter… your score is 7 points," Delta said.

"Right," Harry said, simply.

"Fred Weasley… your score is 10 points," said Delta.

"Well… unorthodox usually wins the day, does it not?" Fred said. "This one's for you, George."

"Outstanding scores, all of you!" Caesar roared. "This places you with the highest average score of the night! The Game Gods clearly see something in you. Thank you for your time. District 6, you're up!"

After another exploding disappearance from the so-called wizards, the members of District 6 ascended the stage. The girls were happy to wave to the audience, but both the boys remained stony-faced and sat moodily in their seats, ignoring the raucous applause and cheers shooting through the arena.

"District 6, ever a crowd favorite, and this year's group is even more special than what we've usually come to expect! Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, Anise Tatlin, Luke fon Fabre, and Asch the Bloody!" Caesar exclaimed. "As I'm sure everyone is aware, we've got what is often considered more of a District 1-level of people here… is the royalty in District 6 a lot like the ones in District 1?"

"Pah. Not even close. We're not like those worthless, rich snobs. The royalty you see before you has fought for its title," Asch immediately snarled.

"That's right. Asch and Luke are both accomplished swordsmen back in District 6. I am a bowman. And Anise, though not technically royalty, is a high-ranking official to our District Representative," added Natalia.

"Though I wouldn't say no to a marriage proposal after the Hunger Games… especially if you're a noble looking for a young lady," Anise chirped in with a giggle.

"Ah, yes, the proud fighting spirit we've come to expect from District 6 rears its head, immediately calling District 1 out!" Caesar narrated as the crowd roared its approval. "As we've seen, there has been a bit of a situation arising in District 6 with the replicas. How has that affected things?"

"It's made it quite the bureaucratic fiasco!" Natalia exclaimed. "Not only do you have parents trying to use replicas of their children in order to save them, you also have to decide whether a replica counts as its own person or not. It's been tedious, to say the least…"

"That's a perfect segue into my first question, then, thank you Natalia!" Caesar said. "Luke… you are a Replica, and of Asch no less! What has affected your decision to volunteer, and how does the Replica situation apply to you?"

"Well… uh…" said Luke. "I guess… I decided I am my own person. Asch and I may be the same on the inside, technically, but… we've chosen different paths, different lives… and… I volunteered to protect my friends. Now that I know District 6 can win all together, I don't regret anything. We are going to be the ones who win it. There's too much at stake for District 6 if we are unable to return."

"Very true. Especially for the country of Kimlasca. Natalia, you are the princess, correct? What effect has this had on your country?" asked Caesar.

"Well, as you might expect, the people were devastated! It's been a very trying year for all of Auldrant… that is, District 6… and my being chosen for the Hunger Games has really touched a lot of my subjects, for which I am eternally humbled," said Natalia. "Nevertheless, I could not accept volunteers. I don't mean to steal what Yuki Sohma said earlier, but, I, too, lead by example. If this is another challenge I must face to prove myself worthy, then so be it. I will help lead District 6 to victory and use my experiences to better rule my country."

"And a wonderful Queen you will one day make, if you survive," said Caesar. "I can already tell you will be fair, honest, and capable. Now, Anise… as the youngest tribute from your district, how are you going to overcome the challenges of facing those much older than you?"

Anise giggled. "Oh, Caesar… you know a lady never reveals her secrets. I will say this… don't underestimate me. After all, I am part of the Fon Master's elite guard. There's more to me than meets the eye."

"A cute little girl… who has a warrior on the inside? We'll just have to wait and see, won't we, folks?" asked Caesar to the audience. "Finally… on to you, Asch. As we all saw during your dramatic Reaping, you refused a volunteer from Luke. What made you decide that?"

"That Replica has already stolen my life," Asch replied. "I wasn't about to let him take this from me, too. If he wants to volunteer for his servant, that's on him. It's his own stupidity. This is something I need to do to prove who I am… to prove that I, and I alone, am worthy of the name 'Luke fon Fabre.' If that means I have to fight that Replica in the arena… so be it."

"And what's this? Another unexpected challenge from within one's own District!? Between this and District 4… could we see Tributes turning on each other? This year's Hunger Games are going to turn out even more interesting than ever before, of that… I am certain. Now… let's get your scores. Delta?" Caesar announced.

"Asch the Bloody… your score is 5 points," said Delta.

"Your score means nothing to me," said Asch. "I already know what I'm capable of. Do you?"

"Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear… your score is 10 points," announced Delta.

"I knew after my display today that I would receive a high score. I thank you for your consideration," Natalia said, a wide smile on her face.

"Luke fon Fabre… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"What? Are you serious? I deserve at least twice that score…" grumbled Luke.

"Anise Tatlin… your score is 3 points" said Delta.

Anise cackled at this. "Just as I planned… thank you, Game God Delta… heh heh heh…"

"What's this? A mediocre showing for District 6…? Were our Tributes holding back in their training… or is it possible that our royal Tributes are overestimating their abilities? Well… I guess that means it's time for District 7!" Caesar exclaimed.

You could hear a lot of conversation going on about District 6. Caesar's comments were actually an understatement; District 6 often averaged at least 8 and a half points for their contenders. To only average 6 points was incredibly rare. Still, District 7 received a warm reception from the stands as they took their seats.

"And here we have District 7, part one of the 7/12 world! Out of nearly 200 countries, the Game Gods selected Japan as the country which would provide its tributes… and for the Urban Dwellers, Iwatodai received the dubious honor," explained Caesar. "From Gekkoukan High School… Hamuko Arisato, Yukari Takeba, Akihiko Sanada, and Shinjiro Aragaki! Now… before we start, I understand you are all not only from the same high school, but from the same extracurricular activity, SEES. What is that?"

"Well… SEES stands for Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad," said Akihiko. "A group founded my Shinjiro, myself, and a mutual friend. As to what we do… well, it's pretty top secret. Suffice to say, it's prepared us for the Hunger Games pretty sufficiently."

"Ah… would this be one of those rumored 'Training' groups for the Hunger Games, which, of course, are forbidden by the Game Gods?" asked Caesar, earning more chuckles from the audience.

"Oh, not at all!" exclaimed Hamuko emphatically. "It's more or less a hardcore workout group… it's a total coincidence that the four of us were chosen from the group. If I may be so bold as to say… it almost seemed like it was predetermined."

"Haha… well, we've definitely heard and seen situations like that in the past!" Caesar said. "Perhaps it's the destiny of you all to bring District 7 to its first victory in years. Now… Miss Takeba, besides your good looks, what would you say is your specialty in the arena?"

"M-My good looks? I… uh… well, I guess I'm decent with archery?" Yukari said, turning the color of her cardigan. "I don't… really know how to answer that…"

"Why, didn't you know you were one of the contenders for the Top Five Beauties in this year's Hunger Games? Shame… I would have definitely thought your Representative would mention it!" Caesar exclaimed. "Well, then, moving on… Miss Arisato, you claim to have a connection with District 12. Could you elaborate?"

"Actually, yes… I know it's something small, but last year my tennis team and I went to a special workshop, which was located in the same town District 12 came from," said Hamuko. "It's things like that which solidify my belief in fate… and I know if we're meant to win, we will."

"And it serves as a reminder of just how small the worlds are… especially compared to the Realms!" Caesar said. "Akihiko, it's been revealed that you are a champion boxer back in District 7. How has this affected your approach to training for the Hunger Games?"

"I look at it as just another challenge," said Akihiko, his eyes shining with excitement. "The training the past two months has been intense… and I know that we've got a huge advantage over most of District 7 because we've fought with each other before. We know our styles and abilities much better than anyone else. We will be ready."

"And finally… Shinjiro, you're a bit of a mysterious figure, even amongst SEES," said Caesar. "We weren't able to find hardly anything on you within District 7. Anything you'd like to say to the Gods to promote yourself?"

"What's the point?" asked Shinjiro. "It's not like we have sponsors. Let's just finish this shit and move on."

"Heh… blunt honesty. Another who can't wait to get into the arena tomorrow," Caesar said. "And, of course, the tall, dark, mysterious type… all the rage with District women, you understand… regardless! It's time for the scores. Delta, if you please…"

"Shinjiro Aragaki… your score is 2 points," said Delta.

"Tch. Like I said. Ain't got time for this shit," said Shinjiro.

"Hamuko Arisato…your score is 3 points," announced Delta.

"… Is that so? Well, then… looks like I have my work cut out for me after all," said Hamuko, taking the news in stride.

"Akihiko Sanada… your score is 9 points," announced Delta.

"Heh. That's more like it… though I suppose I could have done better if I'd worked a little more on cardio, rather than merely strength training…" Akihiko mused.

"Yukari Takebal… your score is 4 points," said Delta.

"W-what? That's… that's ridiculous!" exclaimed Yukari. "I mean… I know I missed a few times, but…"

"Well, well, well…" Caesar said. "A very disappointing score showing indeed… and with only an average score of 4.5, District 7 drops to the lowest-ranked District thus far. These Tributes are going to have to really wow us in the arena if they want us to be impressed tomorrow. Best of luck to you all! District 8… it' your turn!"

The white-faced tributes from District 7 were quickly replaced with District 8, considered the most-winning District in all of the Games, including the most victories in the past twenty years by a nearly 2 to 1 margin. Unsurprisingly, they received one of the longest-sustained rounds of applause and cheer, which was helped by the scantily-clad blue-haired chick and the guy with the long, dark purple-black hair standing on his chair and egging the crowd on.

"Hahaha… while I do appreciate the enthusiasm on your parts, we do have four Districts to get to after you all, as well as very limited time to do so," said Caesar. "Yuri Lowell, Flynn Scifo, Nan, and Judith! Let's start with the basics: what do you have to say to the criticism that Terca Lumeres Tributes have an unfair advantage over all other districts, based solely on the world in which they live?"

"I say that's irrelevant," said Yuri. "Yeah District 8 has a lot of monsters, but so does 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9. Claiming just the monster population alone is the reason we have an edge sounds like the whining of losers."

"Plus, they sealed our powers before training, so we're on the same level playing field as everyone else," added Flynn.

"And trust me… hunting monsters is not the same thing as fighting humans," said Nan.

"The Game Gods clearly agree with you, as nothing has changed between this year and last," said Caesar. "Now then… moving on… I understand you all come from different walks of life in District 8. Do you think that will affect things at all?"

"I imagine so," said Judith. "Yuri and Flynn are ex-nights for the Empire, and Nan is from the Hunting Blades guild. I'm a Krityan from Myrozo… and we're not usually known for our fighting prowess. So there's something to be said about that."

"Well, Judith, since you spoke up… how does it feel to not only be one of the technical non-humans in the match, as well as one of the top-ranked beauties for this year's Hunger Games?" asked Caesar.

"Oh… it's all quite exciting," said Judith, smiling widely and winking up into the stands. "Gives me a lot to live up to. I doubt you'll be disappointed."

"Now, Nan… as a member of the Hunting Blades guild, do you think you'll have an edge, despite your young age?" asked Caesar.

"What kind of question is that?" asked Nan. "Of course I do. Just because I said humans and animals differ doesn't mean I don't know how to take out humans when necessary… as some of my fellow Tributes may recall."

"Oh-ho! What's this, a troubled past between Tributes in District 8 as well? Are we sure the Game Gods did us a favor this year, making them team up?" Caesar wondered aloud. "Yuri… you've got a bit of a reputation as a loose cannon and a lone wolf. What does that mean for your time in the arena?"

"Well… it means I'll be doing my own thing, probably. I've relied on myself a lot in the past… and I'm not afraid to do what others are. I'm not overly thrilled about fighting children, but if that's what it takes to win… so be it. I didn't ask for this. The Gods are the ones who put us here," said Yuri, simply.

"Very true. And Flynn… you volunteered for a young member of the Guilds as well, despite being a knight for the Empire back in 8. Would you say this was due more to your chivalry as a knight… or the desire to keep your friend safe? Don't look so surprise, we already know you and Yuri go way back," said Caesar, teasing.

"Oh… well… I guess a little of both," said Flynn. "Yuri can be reckless, so I want to make sure he's safe, of course… but I agree with what Rin said a while back. Sending such young children to the bloodbath like this is… barbaric. And I couldn't let someone as young as Karol do it…"

"Well that is very noble of you indeed!" exclaimed Caesar, as the crowd roared its approval yet again. "With all the best, we send you off with your scores from Game God Delta."

"Judith… your score is 8 points," said Delta.

"About what I expected for the effort I revealed. Good to know," said Judith.

"Yuri Lowell… your score is 10 points," Delta announced.

"Like I said. I don't like it, but I'll fight to the end," said Yuri.

"Nan… your score is 7 points," said Delta.

"I feel like I deserved more… but maybe the Gods realized I was holding back," said Nan.

"Flynn Scifo… your score is 7 points," said Delta.

"Very well," said Flynn. "We shall see you in the arena tomorrow."

"And a very strong showing for District 8, currently putting them in second place, based solely on scores!" Caesar announced. "Will they claim yet another victory? We'll have to find out soon… now, then, District 9… please join me up on center stage!"

With the changing to District 9, you noticed the applause was strangely… not lacking, exactly, but definitely strained. Was it that District 3 girl's words that actually guilted some of the Gods? You weren't entirely sure, but as the four small figures sat in front of them, even Caesar seemed to hesitate before launching in to his introduction.

"Please joining me in welcoming Genis Sage, Mithos, Seles Wilder, and Presea Combatir! So! District 9, I understand you all have gone through a huge change all of your own. Would you like to tell us about that?" asked Caesar.

"Well… we recently reunited the two worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla," explained Genis. "I'm sure you were aware of how things worked in previous years with the declining world… but now things are taken from both of the large countries/worlds… like us, really."

"Yes. Genis is from Sylvarant, and the rest of us are from Tethe'alla," said Mithos. "It hasn't stopped us from becoming friends, though."

"As I understand it, three of you (that is, Genis, Mithos, and Seles) all have at least partial elf blood running through you," said Caesar. "Tell us what that's like in regards to District 9."

"Much of District 9 holds a strange contempt for half-elves and their kin," said Mithos. "Which is highly ironic as our genes combines the best of humans and elves… I always chalked it up to jealousy."

"Or perhaps a mere misunderstanding… or fear of the unknown…" Presea muttered.

"And as I understand it, you all have pretty difficult lives thus far, each full of loss and hardship," said Caesar, kindly. "Let's start with you, Presea… how has your life prepared you for this?"

"I lost both my father and sister at a very young age…" Presea said. "And so I've had to work since then… I was a lumberjack for a time, and I prefer to wield axes. I've… lost a good chunk of time, in terms of memories… but… I'd rather not speak about that if not forced to…"

"No, no, of course not…" said Caesar. "Seles… would you tell us about yourself?"

"I… well… back in District 9, I am the half-sister of the Chosen of Tethe'alla… and my parents were both taken from me at a young age, too. For my health, I was locked away and unable to see many people, even my half-brother… but as my body grew stronger, I took up fighting and weaponry to give me an edge in battle. And… I think I can hold my own," Seles replied.

"I see… what about you, Genis?" asked Caesar.

"Well… I… I never knew my parents; my sister and I were abandoned long ago," Genis admitted. "And… we had to move around a lot. Even in our own village, we had to hide our identities… we lied, saying we were elves… if anyone knew the truth, my sister, who had worked for years to educate the youth of our small town, would have been run out of town and we'd have to start over yet again."

"And yet, you remain one of the smartest of your age, from what I understand," said Caesar. "Inspiring! Now, Mithos, what is your story?"

"A story of loss… my sister meant everything in the world to me," said Mithos. "Humans killed her, and for no good reason. She just wanted to protect the world… and so… I was happy to take up my spot in the Reaping. Let the humans of District 9 know that a bunch of half- and quarter-elves will do what you haven't been able to do for years: bring victory to our District. And don't expect me to forgive you for what you've done."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scored or an adolescent slighted," Caesar said. "I'm sure you all hold a special place in the hearts of a lot of our viewers. If you would, please rise and receive your scores from Delta."

"Presea Combatir… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"… Acknowledged," she replied.

"Mithos… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"That will be your first mistake… underestimating me," Mithos said, dangerously.

"Genis Sage… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"Six?! That's it? That can't be right… don't just underestimate me because I'm one of the younger Tributes!" Genis exclaimed.

"Seles Wildr… your score is 7 points," said Delta.

"At least that rounds us out to a good average… though I did expect higher," said Seles.

"Surpassing several expectations from our experts, District 9's young Tributes hold their own and come away with a decent score!" said Caesar. "We're coming down to the wire now, folks! District 10, please join us on stage!"

There was more enthusiastic applause as whistles and catcalls went around the stadium, as the dozens of banners and flags with the picture of their favorite District 10 girl waved. As they took their seats, the raven-haired girl turned and blew kisses all around the stands, while the others took their seats and waited patiently for Caesar to begin.

"We have joining us here Shayla Harper, Jack Harper, Melody Moon, and Teruhiko Yakako. A great welcome to all of you," said Caesar. "Now, as we saw with the Pre-Hunger Games, Angora upset Fortuna in several key events, leading them to their first victory in almost a decade. Since you're all from District 10, was this as thrilling for you as it was for us?"

"Well, considering our lives do possibly hang in the balance, depending on the outcome…" Melody said.

"Oh man, did it ever!" exclaimed Teruhiko, enthusiastically. "Our Dad got us tickets for that last football match, the one that sent six players out with huge penalties and broke another three guys' bones… talk about a bloodbath… though I guess that's nothing compared to what's to come tomorrow, huh?"

"Haha I suppose not!" said Caesar, clearly thrilled about Teruhiko's enthusiasm. "Though that victory was bittersweet for two of you… and by that, I of course mean our sibling duo here. Care to explain to our viewers why?"

"Well… our family came to Fortuna from Angora about a year ago, just after the last Reaping," said Shayla. "As such… it's been difficult for our parents, who know if they'd stayed one more year, we would have been safe."

"Well… in a normal year, yeah…" Jack said. "But this year, the age restriction relaxation rule would have screwed us over again. Besides… I think we have a shot."

"Now… starting with you, Teruhiko, since you're raring to go…" said Caesar. "How did you feel seeing Melody volunteer for your sister, and what did you think when you were picked right after?"

"I mean… I'm super thankful for Melody because Nayoko is an idiot and would probably have been killed right away," said Teruhiko. "But this girl… she's fierce and I know she's gonna make it. Well, actually, we all are. See, I secretly wanted to volunteer if it was someone I knew… so I was ready when they called my name. I've been training in the gym for months… even if it got sealed somewhat two weeks ago."

"And speaking of you, Melody, it's no secret that you are highly popular with both the Realms and those in your area of District 10. You're one of the Beauties of this year's Hunger Games, and yet you chose to volunteer at the time, even knowing that you might have to kill your boyfriend, or see him killed. What do you have to say?" asked Caesar.

"I… I just wanted to be with him. After what he did for that little boy… I couldn't just let him die alone. If we spent our last few minutes together… I mean… that would be enough for me," said Melody. "But now that we don't have to kill each other… I'm even happier with my decision to volunteer. I've been told it was rash and stupid… but I know Jack and I know Shayla. And I know we will win."

"Jack, you volunteered as well… what was going through your mind, knowing your sister was at risk and not knowing about the rule change involving, basically, teams?" Caesar asked.

"That's… well, I knew I'd have to keep her alive. She's brilliant, my sister… and I wanted to keep her going as long as I could," Jack explained. "But then Melody really messed me up when she went and volunteered, too… and then when I saw Teruhiko I was like, 'shit we're hosed…' but then they made that rule change clear and it turned to 'aw shit, they're all hosed.' Because we know what we're capable of, and we're going to shock you all like you've never been shocked before."

"And finally, Shayla…" said Caesar. "What was going through your head when you were selected, and then when your brother and his girlfriend joined you on stage?"

Shayla paused for a moment, her piercing eyes sweeping the stands before she continued. "Well… I was afraid at first. But then I realized that… I, too, am a strong believer in fate. The Gods and the Universe wouldn't have put me in this situation if they thought I couldn't handle it. So I took it as a blessing, and I know the support of the Gods themselves will get me through."

"Haha… Shayla, remember, there are no sponsors this year…" teased Caesar, after Shayla's round of applause was done. "Still… such admirable Tributes, especially from District 10, of all places! We wish you the very best; perhaps you'll be the first 10 winner in almost an entire generation. Please rise for your scores."

"Jack Harper… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"Oh, was I supposed to do something during that examination this morning?" asked Jack, in what you could only suspect was fake surprise. "Silly me."

"Shayla Harper… your score is 11 points," said Delta.

"Thank the Gods I could restore my family's honor… as well as almost quadrupling my brother's score," said Shayla.

"Melody Moon… your score is 10 points," announced Delta.

"Heh. Girl power, am I right, Shayla?" asked Melody, slapping her a high-five.

"Teruhiko Yakako… your score is 6 points," Delta said.

"Yo, are you sure you didn't mix our scores up with the girls'? Haha, just playing, I was holding back," said Teruhiko, joking.

"Haha, well, mostly thanks to the girls, District 10 has very impressive average. This could be their year to regain the honor they've long, long, long, long, long since lost!" Caesar said, as ripples of laughter rolled around you. "We're down to our last two Districts now… District 11, please join me!"

You could feel the crowd growing restless around you. Everything that had happened so far, between intra-District threats to the open-war declaration between 1 and 6 had already gotten people incredibly antsy to go out and either update their friends, place bets, or prepare for their own Games-watching events. As you watched District 11 climb the stairs to the main stage area, you noticed how the one girl still seemed as terrified as the day she was Reaped, while the others seemed to have mellowed out a lot.

"So here we have Noah Puckerman, Tina Cohen-Chang, Quinn Fabray, and Sam Evans," said Caesar. "Now, as I understand, you are all members of something called a 'Glee' club… what, pray tell, is this?"

"Oh… well… we get together and we sign songs and dance and perform," said Tina. "Uh…"

"But it's not as lame as it sounds. It's actually… like… a good experience 'cuz it makes you tough," said Puck, quickly.

"…really, now?" asked Caesar, as more laughter roared around the stadium. "And how would you figure that?"

"Well… hm… how to put this in your terms…" Quinn said. "Think of it as… a pecking order, or a deity level. Basically, Glee Club is the lowest of the low. Everyone looks down on us and judges us. At all times. We're not even demi-Gods by your standards."

"Yeah. We're constantly harassed, pelted with slushies, beat-up… you name it, we've been through it," said Sam. "It's made us strong. And we're all better people 'cuz of it."

"That's very touching… and a unique way to be conditioned for the Hunger Games!" Caesar exclaimed. "Well, let me start with you, Tina. By all accounts, you had one of the more dramatic moments during the Reaping. Has anything changed in the past two weeks?"

"Um… well… I… I've gotten a lot stronger," said Tina. "And… the shock has worn off… so… I'm prepared to fight for my life… no matter what it costs. I… I'm ready."

"Well, here's hoping your new-found optimism will keep you safe!" Caesar exclaimed. "Quinn… you were inducted as one of the Top Five Beauties of this year's Hunger Games," said Caesar. "Firstly, congratulations! Secondly, do you think that the lack of sponsors is going to hurt you in any way?"

"Thank you, Caesar," said Quinn. "It's an honor that I've been noticed by the Gods… though not entirely unexpected, if I may have a moment of vanity. Though the sponsorship would have been nice, I feel that the sealing of everyone's powers has given us a level enough playing field that we can win with our own dedication. And I plan to prove that to all of you, along with my fellow District members."

"Ah… I think we've found our de facto leader for District 11!" said Caesar, around the crowd's cheering. "And now… Noah… or, I guess, Puck is your nickname? Anyway, you seemed the most confident of the entire group, even during the Reaping. Where does this confidence come from?"

"Well. C-dawg… don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kind of a badass," said Puck, lounging back in his seat. "Ask any guy or girl or lonely housewife in Lima. I ain't the one to mess with… and I ain't afraid to fight. Bring it on. Puckerman and Co. are going home winners."

"We rarely hear such optimism from District 11! It's quite refreshing, I must say," said Caesar. "Lastly… Mr. Evans. I understand your family has gone through some tough times as well… how has that changed you?"

"Well… my family went through a dramatic upheaval where we lost our house and my dad was laid off… so I had to drop out of school and support my family," said Sam. "So… even though it's at risk of my life… if we do win, I can get us back on track. And that's what I'm fighting for… my family."

"A son's love for his family… risking his own life just for them. A touching story…" Caesar narrated. "Now, District 11, it's time to receive your scores."

"Tina Cohen-Chang… your score is 9 points," said Delta.

"Wh-what? I… I mean… that's good, but I… I didn't…" Tina began, wide-eyed and stuttering until Puck silenced her.

"Sam Evans… your score is 9 points," said Delta.

"Heh… guess the Gods liked my performance earlier…" Sam said, grinning.

"Quinn Fabray… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"… come again? Three? Tch. This is obviously the Gods trying to play with our heads… but I'll take it proudly," said Quinn.

"Noah Puckerman… your score is 9 points," said Delta.

"Hell yeah… that's more like it," said Puck. "Bring it on, other Districts!"

"Well, then, Gods and Goddesses… it's time for us to meet our final contenders. District 12, please make your way up the stage!" Caesar said.

As the still-costumed teammates climbed the stairs, the applause roared to a surprising high. You suspected this was partly because they were excited that it was almost over, and partly because it was one of the only Districts to pay direct tribute to the deities themselves. As they sat (with some difficulty) in their chairs, the applause died down and Caesar began his own introductions.

"So here we have, from Yasogami High in Inaba, the other half of District 7's world… District 12, the rural kids!" exclaimed Caesar. "Yu Narukami, Rise Kujikawa, Yosuke Hanamura, and Naoto Shirogane. A big hand to you all… and especially to your stylist for these costumes! Would you all like to talk about them?"

"Well… mine is Izanagi… Yosuke has Susano-o, while Rise has Kanzeon and Naoto has Yamato-Takeru. They're a… District 12 spin on the Gods, so to speak," explained Yu.

"Hahaha I would say it's… inventive, to be sure. But nice to see a tribute directly to the Gods themselves," said Caesar, over the applause. "Now… we heard from Ms. Arisato in District 7 about her connection to District 12… but, as I understand it, there was a reciprocal connection as well. Anyone care to comment?"

"We went to Yasogami last year as well!" exclaimed Rise. "It was our school trip."

"Although… I don't recall seeing any of the District 7 members there at the time… granted, the school _was _closed that day, and Iwatodai is a fairly large city area…" Naoto muttered.

"Even still, it's a bit of an addition to those who have spoken of destiny tonight, isn't it?" Caesar said. "I want to start with our lovely ladies. First of all, Miss Rise Kujikawa, you are a starlet back in District 12 (and by extension 7 I suppose, too!) Congratulations on making it to the Top Five Beauties for this year's Hunger Games!"

"Why, thank you sooo much, Caesar!" exclaimed Rise, giggling and twirling her hair around her head. "I'm used to being in the spotlight, so it's nothing new to me to be honored in such a way. But I appreciate it! Shame there's no sponsoring this year, though even I might have competition with a princess and the usual District 1 threats!"

"Well, Miss Kujikawa, I know you've got a dedicated fan base that will be praying extremely hard for you to win tomorrow," said Caesar. "Miss Shirogane… you are a detective back in your District, so how would you say that's influenced your character and prepared you for the Hunger Games?"

"I think… it's given me more of an innate understanding of my surroundings," replied Naoto. "I don't believe I will fall victim to traps or tricks in the arena. I can't say it's given me survival skills, as I am most often a person called upon to assist as an expert or an extra set of eyes… but I don't think I'll have any trouble with the arena, either."

"And now, Yosuke… from our small research into your life, we see that you had a lot of semi-negative things to say about District 12, much of which involved yearning for something exciting, and adventure," said Caesar. "Is uh… this what you had in mind?"

"Heh… well… can't say that it was, Caesar…" said Yosuke. "But there's not much I can do about it now other than work the hardest I've ever worked at anything. With my partners here, I don't think we'll have a problem coming in first place… after all, it's not our first rodeo, right guys?"

"Well, a lot of our lower-performing Districts seem to have optimists in their ranks tonight, so that's one more refreshing twist on this year's Hunger Games," said Caesar. "Finally, Mr. Narukami… as the last interview of the night, you get the closing arguments… so… what should we expect from District 12?"

"You should expect four friends who have conquered their dark sides to bring forth all their innate power… and crush the competition," said Yu, in a very even voice.

"A common sentiment repeated right out to the very end… friendships will certainly be tested tomorrow!" Caesar exclaimed. "Well, folks, it's time for our last District to receive their scores. Delta, we call upon you one more time..."

"Yosuke Hanamura… your score is 3 points," said Delta.

"Wh-what? Just three? That's… impossible, you saw me… er… I guess I can't say…" Yosuke said, catching himself.

"Rise Kujikawa… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"Eh… for a Beauty, I'll take it. Don't they average like… 5 points usually anyway?" said Rise, with a shrug.

"Yu Narukami… your score is 11 points," said Delta.

"Wow. Really?" was all Yu said, his eyes wide with shock.

"Naoto Shriogane… your score is 6 points," said Delta.

"As is to be expected," said Naoto. "Thank you."

"Thank you, District 12, you may return to your seats," said Caesar. Once they were back, he stood and addressed the group at large again. "Well, folks, there you have it! This will conclude the Parade and Interviews! The Hunger Games starts tomorrow; don't forget to make your last-minute preparations tonight. Let's have one more enthusiastic round of applause for all 48 of our tributes!"

The stadium blasted out one more ear-shattering round of applause, whistles, cheers and chants. Once everything died down, people filed out of the stadium. You glanced back once more just before you left, as the many tributes also turned to head out to their training center and accommodations for their last-minute fine-tuning before the festivities began. You could feel the excitement building inside of you as you imagined which match ups would be the most entertaining, as well as which parties you might attend after you got outside, not to mention when and where you were going to watch the show itself.

At least you only had one more night to wait before the 2012 Hunger Games began.

**Author Note:**

Woah. That got out of control fast. 15.5K words later, here's the first part of the full Hunger Games Galaxies, which finally brings all the Tributes together.

Yes, like everything else, the scores for each Tribute were decided by a roll of the dice. And this time, unlike the Games itself (which is mostly completed at the writing of this chapter), I did these live as I was writing the dialog. Thank you for reading, and may the odds be ever in your favorite characters' favor!

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE 2012 HUNGER GAMES –

Average Scores for Each District:

District 1 – 5.75 points

District 2 – 7.5 points

District 3 – 5 points

District 4 – 6.75 points

District 5 – 9 points

District 6 – 6 points

District 7 – 4.5 points

District 8 – 8 points

District 9 – 6.25 points

District 10 – 7.5 points

District 11 – 7.5 points

District 12 – 6.5 points

Top Ten "Most Likely to Win":

1. Fina – District 4 – 12 Points

2. Hermione – District 5 – 11 Points

3. Jay – District 2 – 11 Points

4. Shayla – District 10 – 11 Points

5. Yu – District 12 – 11 Points

6. Fred – District 5 – 10 Points

7. Yuri – District 8 – 10 Points

8. Melody – District 10 – 10 Points

9. Natalia – District 6 – 10 Points

10. Kyoya – District 1 – 10 Points

Top Ten "Most Likely to Die":

1. Shinjiro – District 7 – 2 Points

2. Hamuko – District 7 – 3 Points

3. Hanajima – District 3 – 3 Points

4. Hatsuharu – District 3 – 3 Points

5. Haruhi – District 1 – 3 Points

6. Kaoru – District 1 – 3 Points

7. Anise – District 6 – 3 Points

8. Yosuke – District 12 – 3 Points

9. Vyse – District 4 – 3 Points

10. Quinn – District 11 – 3 Points

Top Five Beauties:

1. Judith

2. Melody

3. Grune

4. Rise

5. Quinn

Runners Up: Yukari, Fina, Kirala

Most Popular Match-Up Wants (Districts):

1. District 8 VERSUS District 4

2. District 10 VERSUS District 5

3. District 5 VERSUS District 9

4. District 12 VERSUS District 10

5. District 3 VERSUS District 2

6. District 6 VERSUS District 3

7. District 1 VERSUS District 6

8. District 9 VERSUS District 7

9. District 3 VERSUS District 1

10. District 4 VERSUS District 9

Most Popular Match-Up Wants (Tributes):

1. Rise (D12) VERSUS Fina (D4)

2. Harry (D5) VERSUS Flynn (D8)

3. Ramirez (D4) VERSUS Vyse (D4)

4. Quinn (D11) VERSUS Will (D2)

5. Ramirez (D4) VERSUS Anise (D6)

6. Tina (D11) VERSUS Grune (D2)

7. Tina (D11) VERSUS Shinjiro (D7)

8. Melody (D10) VERSUS Presea (D9)

9. Naoto (D12) VERSUS Hatsuharu (D3)

10. Will (D2) VERSUS Seles (D9)

11. Rise (D12) VERSUS Sam (D11)

12. Judith (D8) VERSUS Teruhiko (D10)

13. Yu (D12) VERSUS Fina (D4)

14. Tina (D11) VERSUS Benio (D1)

15. Vyse (D4) VERSUS Yukari (D7)

16. Benio (D1) VERSUS Kaoru (D1)

17. Fred (D5) VERSUS Teruhiko (D10)

18. Will (D2) VERSUS Haruhi (D1)

19. Teruhiko (D10) VERSUS Chloe (D2)

20. Jay (D2) VERSUS Luna (D5)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Final Night

**District 1** –

Still only one floor above the ground level, Haruhi, Kaoru, Kyoya, and Benio all could plainly see the majestic city lights out their window. Though the windows were soundproof and blackout curtains were available, the dazzling array of non-stop fireworks and flashing signs, not to mention monitors of some sort replaying clips from the Reapings and the Interviews over and over, gave a silent picture that reminded them of everything that was going on.

"Haruhi, aren't you hungry?" asked Kaoru.

The four tributes were seated in the main dining room section of their floor. The accommodations were exceptionally fancy, of course, though not out of the ordinary for District One's tastes (especially the Ouran natives). Several pieces of fancy tuna sat untouched on Haruhi's plate. She wasn't sure why she wasn't eating. She didn't feel particularly sick or anything… just not hungry.

"You really should eat as much as you can to keep your strength up," said Kyoya. "There's no telling what we'll be facing once we enter the arena tomorrow."

"Even… even after everything that's been happening the past few weeks… I can't believe we're really going in tomorrow," said Kaoru.

"Better begin to believe it," said Benio, in between sips of some delectable-smelling soup. "If we are to survive the first day, you must prepare your mind for the role you will fulfill tomorrow, that of a combatant! One who fights for his life, to return to the loved ones back home-!"

"This isn't some crazy Zuka drama performance," replied Kaoru. "This is our lives we're talking about! You saw our competition! We could be dead tomorrow!"

"That's why we need to talk strategy," said Kyoya. "I've kept careful notes about our training, as well as our strengths. Also, since I'm sure none of you were paying attention, they released several small details about our arena. It's going to be at least partially in a forest, and there's going to be two Cornucopias."

"What? Two? That's… unheard of," said Haruhi, suddenly. "Doesn't that mean there'll be double the bloodbaths?"

"Probably. So, because of this, we need to decide what to do," said Kyoya. "It appears the arena will be large enough for us all to scatter, but you can bet there will be traps in all directions. We should attempt to rendezvous with each other as soon as we possibly can."

"He's correct, for once," said Benio. "There is strength in numbers, after all. We cannot falter if we are together."

"Okay, but, how will we know which way to go?" asked Haruhi.

"Whoever you find yourself paired with at the Cornucopia should be your partner. I haven't been able to fully locate starting positions, but if you're at the South Cornucopia, I suggest going due west, while those of us at the North Cornucopia will go due south. The arena is a large rectangle and the two starting points aren't directly in line with each other," said Kyoya.

"I'm amazed that you could find this all out…" Kaoru muttered.

"You need only pay attention to what's going on around you," said Kyoya, with his trademark grin. "Now… let's review what we obtained in our training and play to our strengths…"

The weeks of training had passed by Haruhi in a blur. With all the random weaponry and magical elements from all the districts crashing together in her mind, she had been mostly overwhelmed at combat, instead spending much of her time learning more survival skills and edible foodstuffs, as well as some first aid. She remembered that Kaoru had also abandoned most weapon training after a couple of days, instead content to quietly follow Haruhi around and struggle with the same stations, minus crafting things like clothing and armor from basic supplies.

Meanwhile, Kyoya had hung back during most training, only occasionally picking up various weapons to practice with. He mostly took notes, carefully watching not only his fellow District One tributes, but also taking notes on the others. It had made him several enemies and almost brought him to blows several times with some of the guys from Six and Three. Benio had done a little bit of everything and, predictably, been highly dramatic about it. At least she proved to be a fairly proficient fencer and duelist, once she got a sword in her hand.

"Based on what I've seen, I can narrow down the biggest threats to our safety. The large man, Will, from District Two, has the highest odds of winning in these Games. But the ruthlessness of Ramirez from District Four, as well as Asch from District Six, concerns me… if they're willing to fight even their own team mates," Kyoya said. "It goes without saying that District Nine should be the easiest targets, but their scores bother me. By the way, Haruhi and Kaoru, how did you end up with 3's?"

"Oh… uh… I didn't really know what to do in my trial today, so…" muttered Kaoru. "I just… kinda tried my hand at a few different weapons, and I don't think they were impressed."

"Which you really should have been perfecting in the past few weeks, but I digress," said Kyoya. "What about you, Fujioka?"

"I… explained how I planned to survive, like with food and such. I thought I did all right, but I suppose they wanted a better show," said Haruhi. "Maybe because I wouldn't bring a lot of entertainment…?"

"Well I was positively ravishing… all while performing a monologue from a screenplay I'd written myself, I performed heroic feats of combat on the motorized dummies. I have no doubt that my beauty has stunned the judges, leading to my score," said Benio.

"But only for a 7," reminded Kaoru.

"Yes, well, I'd love to know what Ootori did to earn his score," snapped Benio. "Did you analyze them to death?"

"Pretty close, actually," Kyoya answered. "The copious amounts of notes I took on every individual seems to have impressed the Gods. I need not pick up a weapon; they know that I know enough to skip any surprises the other Tribute may throw my way. For example, when it comes to that girl, Fina, the perfect score girl…"

As Kyoya began to go over the finer points of each tribute, Haruhi finally found her appetite and took several pieces of sushi, rice, and some of the same soup Benio was drinking. She tried to keep Kyoya's notes straight in her head, but it wasn't long before the names were running together, and she couldn't remember if it was the District Three girl of the District Nine boy who had a strange aversion to swords. She didn't think too much about it, deciding to wait until they met up in the arena tomorrow, where Kyoya could give them step-by-step instructions on how to fight.

"The most important thing tomorrow is to get away from the Cornucopia. Especially you, Haruhi," said Kyoya. "That's where the bloodbath will be. You run in the opposite direction. If you find something on your way out, take it, but don't get over encumbered."

"I… I understand," said Haruhi. "I won't."

"Very good," said Kyoya. "The same applies to you, Kaoru, and you too, Benio. We have to stay alive long enough to meet up with each other."

The grim faces of the others at this suggestion, met with not even an ounce of sarcasm, is what finally made it hit home to Haruhi that they were really going in for a fight to the death. This wasn't some staged Host Club nonsense… this was their lives. Their lives… that could very well be over the next day. Never to see anyone from Ouran again… or her father…

"Now I don't feel good…" Haruhi muttered, pushing her plate away.

"I know… look, I think it'd be best if we got some sleep," said Benio. "Best of luck… good night, gentlemen, fair maiden…"

Haruhi lay in her bed, watching as time marched by on a clock above her wall. At first, the terror of falling asleep clutched at her heart, rising to full-blown panic any time she thought hard about what was to come. But then she thought of her mother, and that alone had a calming effect. As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts were filled of her friends, her family, and her supporters. She quietly vowed to make good on her promise from the interviews, and to actually try as hard as she could to not only survive… but to win.

**District 2 – **

"How are you holding up, Grune?" asked Chloe.

"Oh, I'm great!" Grune said, turning away from the window and smiling brightly at her friend. "There's just so many pretty colors outside! I wish I could join them…"

"That is, of course, forbidden," said Jay, sitting in the corner with his eyes closed. "That they are celebrating the demise of much of our competition… it's sickening, isn't it?"

"Well, now that we've eaten… let's talk strategy," said Will, sitting on a couch and turning away from a muted monitor. "First and foremost I think we should discuss our strengths in the arena. We have to get our hands on appropriate weaponry before anything else begins."

"Yes. If I can get a sword, you get a bow, Jay get some knives or daggers, and Grune gets some sort of Crystal Eren weapon… then I don't think we will have any trouble in the arena itself," said Chloe.

"Depending on where we start in the two Cornucopias, I believe it would be best for us to at least attempt to obtain weaponry," said Jay. "Except for maybe you, Grune, I would highly suggest avoiding combat at all costs until one of us can protect you."

"That sounds like a fun idea to me… it's always nice to have friends around," said Grune, still smiling out the window. "Oh… they have kites…"

"Next… our competition," said Will. "District Five has the highest average score, but my understanding is their specialty is only with Crystal Eres… so as long as we can get the drop on them before they can get any artifacts or weaponry that grant such power, they should pose little threat."

"I am concerned about the Ohtori boy in District One…" Jay said. "He seems like he knows too much. I don't trust him. His high score bothers me, too…"

"Why, because he got too close to you?" Grune asked.

"No. But I know that I earned my score through combat displays, especially compared to Sealed versus Unsealed. But I don't know what that boy did. It intrigues me and I intend to find out," said Jay.

"As far as non-threats, I'd say we are pretty safe with District Nine this year, which is a good change. I don't understand how District Eleven received such high scores because their tributes seem lacking," Chloe said. "Our biggest threats will probably be District Four and Six."

"That's something we should focus on. Districts. Do any of you feel comfortable teaming up with anyone?" asked Will.

"No," said Chloe, immediately. "I'd rather avoid that if at all possible."

"Yes. It seems that making this a team-focused Games has negated the need to form strategic alliances," said Jay. "But on the other hand, a little espionage may go a long way tomorrow. I wouldn't be utterly opposed, if only for temporary reasons."

"… anything to add, Grune?" Will asked.

"I'm looking forward to meeting those in the arena tomorrow," said Grune.

"Grune… I don't know how you can be so calm about this!" Chloe exclaimed. "Are… are you capable of realizing that we might die tomorrow?"

"We've faced so much more than this, though, and survived," replied Grune. "I wouldn't worry too much."

"At any rate…" Will muttered. "The most important things we need to remember: team up with our own, trust no one else for too long, get the weapons you need, and stay alive."

"Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me. So… what did the two of you do to get such low scores?" asked Jay, smiling at Will and Chloe.

"I honestly don't know," said Chloe. "They must have just thrown a wrench in the scoring for me. I was great both Sealed and Unsealed."

"Same for me. The only difference being I had more control over my Eres when Unsealed, but when Sealed I relied more on my physical strength," said Will. "And since there's already great odds on me being one of the victors…"

"Something just isn't right about that," said Jay. "But it'd be far from the first time the Gods have given ridiculous scores. It'd be like when they purposely reversed every score one year to throw the betting entities off."

"I enjoy the surprises… even if it's followed by sadness," Grune said. "Sometimes it's just easier to find the good part about a bad situation."

No one argued. The members of District Two finished talking strategy and bade each other goodnight. Although Grune still returned to the window until the last reveler had vacated the area in front of the building that held the tributes. She smiled to the sky above, watching the simulated twinkling stars, until she fell asleep sitting against the window, a serene smile still on her face.

**District 3 –**

The Sohmas and Hana sat at their table in silence for nearly half an hour after they returned from their interviews. Rin and Hatsuharu seemed unable or unwilling to eat, and while Yuki was only able to manage small amounts of the rich, heavenly food at a time, Hana seemed to be gorging herself and enjoying every bite. He watched her in fascination as she devoured bowls upon bowls of delicious stews, rice dishes, and all manner of other things.

"You are amazing. How can you eat so much at a time like this without feeling sick?" asked Yuki.

"Well… this may be my last night alive. I don't want to have any regrets of a taste untasted or a drink undrunk," said Hana. "Food may be scarce in the arena. I must make do with what I have."

"I just… can't eat this," Rin muttered. "I don't want anything to do with these ridiculous Gods and their stupid games…"

"So… our scores were pretty awful," Hatsuharu said. "What happened? I thought we all looked good in training."

Yuki wasn't sure. He and Hatsuharu had sparred many times through their training, while rounding it out with weapons practice and even a few of the magical instruments from the other Districts. Rin had been a holy terror, chopping down dummy after dummy while uttering curses under her breath. Only Hanajima's score made sense; he'd rarely seen her do anything other than read scrolls and books in a corner, sipping on some tea or munching on a snack she'd gotten from somewhere.

"I'm telling you… they low-balled me on purpose, to make me a target, for yelling at them during my exams today," said Rin. "And they know I can win. My blasphemy is just unforgivable for their egos."

"And what about you, Haru?" asked Yuki.

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember much," said Haru, shrugging. "It seemed to be over before it began. But I think there were some shocked whispers when I came to…"

Yuki sighed. "You went Black Haru, didn't you?"

Haru shrugged. "Maybe."

"What about you, Hanajima?" asked Rin.

"Well… I was feeling sleepy during the Sealed section, so I took a nap. But when they Unsealed me there was a request placed for my wave-sensing abilities," said Hana, in between mouthfuls of some green vegetable. "I was only able to sense some of the other Tributes… but some of them have piqued my curiosity."

"Really?" asked Yuki. "Which ones?"

"Something strange is in the air here… a presence that doesn't necessarily belong… and I detected a similar presence on that redheaded girl, Shayla, from District Ten. I think she might be worth keeping around," said Hana. "She was always very nice to me; she even ate lunch with me a couple of times."

Rin snorted derisively. "So she can stab you in the back in the arena before the bloodbath ends…"

"Well, then there was the tall lady from District Two… and the tall one from District Eight… it seems they have a strange way of communicating without words. The two boys from District Six have some weird connection… oh, and it seems there's some sort of hidden potential in the tributes from Districts Seven and Twelve, but I can't place it just yet. And, despite her perfect score, District Four's blonde female has a remarkably refreshing and calm wave coming from her," Hana said, smiling to herself. "It would be nice if she could survive, too… I'd like to understand more about it."

"Yes, well, don't go getting attached," said Rin, again. "Everyone who isn't in this room right now has to die, and as soon as possible. We can't afford to be lenient."

"But I think it would behoove us to be diplomatic and open to alliances, at least at the start," said Yuki, bracingly. "I don't think everyone is trustworthy… especially not Ramirez or Asch or Nan… but I agree with Hanajima that Shayla seems safe. And I don't sense any hostility from Grune or Fina or most of Districts Eleven and Five. I think they're just as unwilling to be here as we are…"

"I don't think any of them really want to be here," said Haru. "Sure fighting is fun… but fighting kids is just… messed up, you know?"

"Yeah, it is," said Rin. "I just hope someone else takes care of District Nine before we have to do it… I'll never be able to forgive myself if we have to put them down."

"I don't trust them," said Hana. "They deserve more respect than they're getting. Especially the blonde one. I think he might become one of the fiercest fighters…"

"Good. Let him take out some of our other enemies before we fight them," said Rin. "… I've had enough of this. I'm going to bed."

Haru hurried after her, kissing Yuki on the forehead quickly as he went. With just the still-eating Hana left in the room, Yuki felt the silence surrounding him. He thought of all the other tributes he'd seen and watched train the past few days, the kind words some had shared with him, and the evil glares and threatening murmuring he'd heard when he showed off any of his fighting techniques. Trying to keep what he'd seen straight in his head was tough; there were 44 others who he had to try and remember, which was much easier said than done.

"We will be okay. Let's find each other tomorrow and stay together," said Hana. "It's what Tohru would have wanted."

Yuki's eyes widened. In all the excitement of the past week or so of training, he hadn't even thought of Tohru Honda. But as the memory of her wide, brown eyes and kind smile re-entered his brain, a new determination grew inside of him. No matter the cost, he had to get back to this girl… and he had to make sure her best friend was with him when he did.

"That's a great idea. I know Tohru will be rooting for us… so… with her aid… I think we will be okay," said Yuki. "May the odds be ever in our favor, Miss Hanajima."

She smiled at him, as she laid her last, empty bowl back on the table. "Please, call me Hana."

**District 4 – **

"Vyse, you were so good during your interview!" exclaimed Kirala as the four tributes from District 4 returned to their quarters.

"As if that even matters in tomorrow's fight," Ramirez hissed, stalking past them.

"What's your problem?" asked Vyse. "We gotta stick together if we want to beat the others!"

"I would sooner die in battle than try and aid any of you. The only reason I haven't killed you yet is because I want the whole world to see me do it. District Four needs to know what I am capable of," Ramirez said.

"Ramirez… please…" Fina muttered.

"And you, Fina…" Ramirez said. "Stay away from me in the arena. I don't want to have to be the one to kill you… but I will do it. I will fight alone. No alliances… no trust… nothing. If we cross paths tomorrow, you will die by my hand."

"You're an idiot!" Kirala exclaimed. "This isn't how this is supposed to go! We may be enemies back in Arcadia but we can't risk splitting our forces here! There's almost 50 other tributes to worry about!"

"And all will fall to me," Ramirez said. "I will not share victory with you or with anyone. This is my final warning. Good night."

He went to his room, bypassing the table entirely, and they heard a door slam down the hallway. Vyse sighed heavily, as Fina stared after him, her mouth still hanging open with her last plea on her lips. Kirala quietly suggested they eat their dinner, though it didn't take long for total silence to befall them, nobody even eating their food anymore.

"District Four's last victory was that guy, Lawrence, like 10 or 11 years ago, right?" asked Kirala, quietly. "So… how did he win?"

"Ruthless cunning. And once he picked up a couple of sponsors that gave him the proper food and weaponry, he became unstoppable. I think he killed something like nine tributes on his own," said Vyse.

"It's a shame he didn't come to mentor us," said Fina. "We could have used his advice."

"Yeah… I like how they didn't tell the people on the outside that we barely had escorts, let alone mentors," said Kirala. "I wonder if even the Gods know about this…?"

"Who care?," said Vyse. "Besides… with the four of us working together, we are definitely going to win. We've fought worse situations like this back in Arcadia. We just have to find each other and get a few supplies. Everything will work itself out."

"But Fina… your score! It was just mind-blowing! What did you do to show them your power?!" exclaimed Kirala.

"O-oh… well… I just… performed as many spells as I could when we were Sealed… and when they Unsealed me it was more of the same, though I showed him some of the powers I have as a Silvite, too," Fina muttered.

"I never understood why they Unseal us during the exams," said Vyse. "What's the point?"

"I think it's to compare our overall potential with the potential we've gotten from training ourselves up from nothing in a few short weeks," said Fina. "That would be my guess. I think I must have impressed them greatly."

"But… Vyse… a 4 seems very low for you," said Kirala. "What happened?"

"I didn't do anything. I refused to," said Vyse. "At least when Sealed. I prefer it that way… the Gods don't know what I'm capable of entirely, and I don't know what they're going to throw at me. Heh… it's going to be an adventure."

"That was very reckless of you! You've been marked as an easy target now," said Fina, gasping. "I just… want you to be safe."

"We'll be fine," said Vyse. "So… what do you think our strategy should be?"

"I think it would be a good idea to not get involved with the bloodbath, especially initially," said Kirala. "With nearly 50 tributes, it's going to get messy and violent quickly."

"I… I agree," said Fina. "And… the thought of hurting some of our fellow tributes just feels… wrong…"

"I can't argue with that," said Vyse. "It's not like we're fighting monsters here… or even Valuan soldiers. These are just untrained children."

"I think we should be wary of making alliances," said Kirala. "We don't know who we can trust…"

"I think we can trust District Eleven… I was speaking with Tina during training when we were at some stations. She seems so innocent and harmless," said Fina. "And the folks from Districts Seven and Twelve were always accommodating and nice, even though they're by default supposed to work together."

"Do you think if it's just people left from Seven and Twelve they'll let the Games end?" asked Kirala.

Vyse shook his head. "I highly doubt it. That hasn't stopped them from doing such things in the past…"

"I don't… want to think about it anymore, really…" Fina muttered. "Can we just… talk about Arcadia? For one last night?"

Kirala and Vyse looked at each other and smiled sadly. "Of course."

They sat near the fireplace, as talk meandered around back to their homeland, the friends they left behind, and the suddenly distant-seeming adventures they'd once had. Before they knew it, even the lights outside the window began to darken and, as the night wore on, they bade each other goodnight one last time before returning to their rooms for a fitful night of sleep before the next day's Games.

**District 5 – **

Harry, Hermione, Luna, and Fred sat quietly around their own table. Only Fred and Luna were eating. Hermione was still pouring over her own books and notes from training, and Harry was too torn between anger and fear to stomach any of the delicacies before him. After ten minutes of starring at his food, Harry finally slid his plate away from him, forcing himself to at least drink some broth from soup.

"Are you feeling sick, Harry?" asked Luna.

"Yeah… but just because this is so off the wall. This whole situation," said Harry. "This… this could be our last night alive."

"Don't say that…" muttered Hermione. "Please, Harry, I can't bear to think that…"

"But it's true! And you saw what we're up against!" Harry yelled. "What chance do we have against places like District Four, Six, Eight, and Nine?! They practically grow warriors!"

"But if we can just get some wands or magic rods…" Hermione said.

"We can't even be sure that there'll be any in there!" Harry retorted. "For all we know they could be placing us in a desert with nothing but clubs!"

"I don't think that'll happen," said Luna. "That wouldn't be a very fun Games… and with all the different aspects of training they had us go through this year… I can't imagine that we'll be stuck with just some boring old clubs."

"Luna's right. They're going to throw some tricks out at us for sure… so we'll have to get creative," said Fred. "That's what I did earlier… and the Gods loved it."

"I was very impressed with your score, Fred," said Luna. "I wish I could have seen what you did."

"Well obviously when I was Unsealed I showed him some of the stuff George and I worked on… or at least drew from our experiences," he said. "But even Sealed I pulled off quite a few lethal shows… it's nice not having to worry about the safety of others for a change."

"And Hermione, you had the highest score of everyone except the nice Fina girl from Four!" exclaimed Luna. "How impressive!"

"Oh I don't know about all that…" muttered Hermione.

"Hermione, don't be modest," said Harry. "District Five hasn't had someone score that highly in twenty years."

"Actually I think we should all be proud of ourselves," said Luna. "District Five's average score hasn't been this high in two generations."

"That means they're going to be gunning for us, though," Harry muttered. "I overheard Districts Eight and Nine talking about it. I don't think they like getting upstaged by witches and wizards."

"That's why I've prepared small manuals for each of you," said Hermione, briskly, while handing out notes to them. "It's what I've been able to gather on our enemies."

"Wow, Hermione…" muttered Harry, staring at the details. "I didn't know you had time to do this…"

"Well to be honest I didn't do much in training… but I wasn't the only one. That Kyoya Ohtori from District One was doing the same, and he took even more notes than I did," said Hermione. "He's dangerous, and possibly our #1 threat, besides that massive man Will Raynard in District Two…"

"Don't forget Asch and Ramirez, the two who are willing to kill even the rest of their teammates," reminded Fred, staring at the copious amounts of notes she'd taken on them. "… Though I see their bloodthirsty combat training hasn't gone unnoticed."

Harry paged through to some of the other Districts. Hermione had done analyses on almost everyone, including threat levels, specialties, magic affinities displayed during their training, and whether it would be smarter to engage them in combat or to evade. He was, however, surprised to see that she'd made a list of possible allies on the back.

"Allies? You think we should group up with other Districts?" Harry asked.

"At least at first, yes," said Hermione. "I know that no unions can last indefinitely, but I do think we should at least test the waters on some. District Ten and Eleven should be open for negotiations, but there are some individuals that I think we can trust. Haruhi from One, Grune from Two, Hamuko from Seven, and possibly Hana from Three, but… she makes me uncomfortable…"

Harry thought back to the raven-haired, black-eyed girl who always seemed to be smiling, even as she half-heartedly practiced using various weapons around the training arena. Actually, as he thought back through all of the tributes and their attempts at the fight, he wondered if his own display of dueling magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts skills would really help him at all in the following days. And yet the Gods had seemed so impressed with his Patronus…

"I like Hana," said Luna. "I think we can trust her."

"… yes, well… I can understand you thinking that, but we have to be extremely careful about who we choose to partner with, if anyone," said Hermione. "As far as strategy…"

"Get away from everyone else, to start with," said Harry. "No bloodbath. For any of us. Not until we have wands and can fight back."

"Oh definitely. In the middle of the fray is not where I want to be," said Fred. "So split off, and then regroup with whoever from our District you can find, and then run for it."

"That's as sound a plan as any, I fear," said Hermione. "Now, on the subject of weaponry…"

By the time he climbed into bed several hours later, Harry's head was swimming. Between tribute tactics, weapon pros and cons, and the sinking feeling that maybe things were stacked against them, he found it incredibly hard to sleep. The only plus to the whole situation was that his scar, which had plagued him with pain for the weeks leading up to the Reaping, had finally ceased to hurt. And then he remembered what was at stake back in his home world. District Five needed him… all of them. And that resolve was enough to push all other thoughts out of his mind as the desire chased the fear and worry out of his mind.

**District 6 –**

"Asch. Luke. You both need to stop being so childish about this!" Natalia finally hissed, breaking the silence.

Dinner had already been a long, uneasy affair. Though Asch had attempted to sneak right away to his room, Natalia had forbidden him from leaving them until they discussed their plans for the following day. Luke was still fuming about Asch's outburst at the interviews earlier in the night. Their dinner had been mostly dominated by Natalia or Anise trying to get the boys to talk to each other, but neither had made much progress at all.

"What is there to discuss? Find a weapon. Find each other. Survive. Even you can all do that I hope," Asch hissed.

"It may not be that simple, Asch!" implored Natalia.

"She's right. You saw our competition. We're going against former knights and guard members. I wouldn't count any district out right away, except maybe Ten or Eleven," Anise said. "Even District Nine's kids are all accomplished with some sort of weapon; you saw the pink-haired girl in training with her axes."

"Yeah… I think Asch is right," said Luke, earning a glare from his mirrored self. "Until we come together our best tactics should be to survive as best as possible. And grab weapons if possible."

"Finally the worthless replica says something of use," said Asch. "Don't go getting into any fights if you can avoid it. And Natalia, I don't want you getting involved in the Cornucopia bloodbaths, whichever one you're at."

"Yeah, you too, Anise," said Luke.

"Puh-leeze… I'm a lot quicker than I appear. I don't think I'll be noticed," Anise replied.

"That may be true, but with so many tributes this year my guess is they will be making it a little bit more likely that people will cut down whichever competition they can," said Natalia. "So… I will immediately go from the Cornucopia. How shall we meet up?"

"Maybe they'll have compasses and other such tools in there this year?" Luke asked.

"We should find a way to mark where we've been… notches on a tree or something. But at knee height so it's not noticeable if you aren't looking for it," said Anise.

"Good idea," said Asch. "But don't let any other tributes see you doing it. If we have a sun of some sort to navigate by, take the direction it sets in, call it west, and let's all head northward. Meet up immediately with whoever is at your Cornucopia."

"We need to think about weapons and armor," said Luke. "Get what you can for armor… Asch and I will want swords… Natalia will need a bow… Anise, what should we look out for?"

"Oh don't worry…" Anise said, smirking. "I'll make do with whatever I find. Ideally some magic to surprise my foes would be just wonderful."

"So… stay alive. Get as much as you can. Team up. Tree notches. Once we regroup we'll work out shifts for keeping watch and battle styles," said Asch.

"Seems easy enough…" Natalia said, giggling nervously. "What about temporary alliances like we saw in the past Games?"

"No," said Asch. "Nobody can be trusted."

"I agree," said Anise. "Since it's basically District Teams now, there's no reason to pally-up with some District One moron. You can't even benefit from their sponsors."

"Actually I don't agree," said Luke. "We might need temporary alliances to get through the beginning…"

"Yes…" said Natalia. "Nothing permanent, obviously, but we should not rule out some people…"

"Don't trust District Eight. They're our biggest threat, scores be damned," said Asch.

"I don't trust that glasses guy from One, either… he's too sketchy. Or that Jay guy from District Two," said Anise.

"We might be able to earn the trust of the likes of Districts Seven, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve… none of them seem too crazy on combat back home," said Natalia.

"And if there's no magic weapons tomorrow, District Five is useless," said Luke. "So probably harmless."

"I think District Four is safe to group with for the time being… except that Ramirez person," said Natalia. "He's willing to murder his own District mates… so I wouldn't trust him…"

"Well Asch said he was willing to murder me," said Luke, grumpily.

"Come off it. That was for the cameras. I thought even you would figure that out, moron… seeing as you supposedly do share my brain," Asch snarled.

And just like that, it was broken. Asch stalked off out of the dining room as Natalia chased after him. Luke, his face flushing, turned and stare out the window at the streets and buildings below them. At the 7th floor, they were starting to reach the tops of some of the shorter buildings, but most went right up to the 11th or 12th floors. He couldn't see anyone outside… though he wondered what the partiers would look like.

"Don't let Asch get to you. I think… if it comes down to it… he'll protect all of us tomorrow," said Anise. "Not like he hasn't done it before."

"Right… I know," said Luke. "Thanks, Anise. We're going to be counting on you a lot tomorrow."

Anise chuckled darkly again. "They'll underestimate me, that's for sure…"

Later, as Luke climbed in to bed, his thoughts drifted back to District Six, where his mother and father undoubtedly were spending another restless night, waiting for the start of the games. He wondered about the rest of their other companions. Surely Guy was still mad at him… and Jade and Tear and Ion were worried… Tear… for some reason her name gave Luke a small start in the pit of his stomach, a sick feeling that etched his way around his body.

And then the realization hit him. He sat up, his heart pounding, and his head spinning. And now he had a reason to fight, and to stay alive. Because someone he loved was waiting for him back in District Six.

**District 7 –**

"I can't believe those bastards lowballed us so heavily," Akihiko hissed, punching a bag that was tied up near the dining room table.

Hamuko stared at the food in front of her, much of it untouched. Only she had managed half a full meal; Aki was too irritated to eat, Shinji was, as usual, eating like a bird, and Yukari was far too panicked to stomach anything more than broth. She thought back to Minato, who undoubtedly would have demolished everything in sight, no matter how he was feeling. Her thoughts were broken by Yukari, who let out a panicked gasp.

"I know… I forgot to thank them, that's probably what it was… those jerks…" Yukari said. "Probably cost me a lot of points…"

"I don't think that had anything to do with it, Takeba," said Shinji. "You said you missed a few shots, right? Even if you hit the rest of them, that probably doesn't look good. Also, they could have just picked our district to low-ball, like Aki said. They do it every friggen year."

"Yeah, it was Eight last year… and then Four the year before that. And both times they had people in the Top 4, and, of course, Eight won last year," said Hamuko. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. We just get to prove them wrong tomorrow."

"What exactly did you do to get a 9, Akihiko-senpai?" asked Yukari.

"Heh… I punched a lot of stuff. Broke a few things. Showed endurance in the obstacle course… you know. The fun stuff," said Akihiko, the glint of competition in his eyes.

"I feel like I can hear Mitsuru scoffing from Iwatodai…" muttered Shinji.

A quick laugh rolled over all of them, but it was quickly silenced. Laughter was a strange outsider here, something that seemed… obscene. As Akihiko continued to punch the bag, the awkward laughter and the silence that followed it faded into discussions over strategies for the next day. It was readily agreed that none of them should enter the bloodbath, no matter what weaponry they saw. They reviewed edible plants and survival tactics, as well as trying to figure out a system to meet up.

"I know it's probably not a popular sentiment, especially this year, but I don't have any problem forming temporary alliances with other Districts," said Hamuko.

"I… am leery about it, but if you say it's okay…" said Yukari.

"Hamuko, no disrespect here… but I worry when you say that," said Akihiko. "I don't want you to get too close to someone who isn't from Seven. You realize we're going to have to kill them at some point, right?"

"I know that," said Hamuko. "But… as… as heartless as this is, if I have to choose between anyone, even the kids in Nine, and the three of you… there's no contest."

"She's right. We can't afford to be bleeding hearts in there, unless we want to die," said Shinji. "We can use others to stay safe… they know as well as we do that our alliance can't last. So… just keep your guard up. And don't trust the wrong people."

"But how do we know who the wrong people are?" asked Yukari.

"Well we know that crazy bitch in District One won't hurt any girls. So if you can't find Aki or me, try to find her. She's built like an Amazon, so she can probably hold her own in a fight, too," said Shinjiro.

"I actually was training with that redhead girl from District Ten… she seems different. She was always nice to me, even shared pointers on polearm-handling. She could be a good one, too," said Hamuko.

"And of course District Twelve… they can't very well kill us without jeopardizing their families back in Twelve and Seven," said Akihiko.

Yukari nodded. "Excellent. Then… what should we do? About meeting up? Like… how do we know which way to go?"

"I think… as the battle goes on, we will see the Game Gods try to bring people closer together. They do it every year, and with this many tributes, we'll be scattered everywhere. So we have to do what we can to meet up with whoever is at our starting point, and then wait until we can be regrouped. It may take a few days, but… that's better than blindly diving through the arena," said Hamuko.

"Yeah, we won't know if we're going in opposite directions regardless. But if we have any friendly targets that go out and about without us, we should let them pass on messages… if that's even an option," said Yukari, agreeing. "… I… I think I'm going to go to bed."

"Yeah, we should get as much rest as we can for tomorrow. It's going to be a very, very long couple of days," said Shinji.

"I… I can't understand how you're both being so calm about this…" muttered Yukari. "We could all be dead tomorrow."

"Because we've got a huge advantage over everyone else from District Seven," said Akihiko, grinning and giving another massive punch to the bag hanging from the wall, cracking the foundation. "We've fought Shadows before. Just think of it as another SEES exercise. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad is taking on a new enemy."

Hamuko wasn't sure how much she liked seeing him compare the other tributes to Shadows, but as the thought took root in her mind, much of her anxiety began to seep away. She waited in her room for him to arrive, long after Yukari had finally turned in from their last nightly chat for what could be forever. They sat on the seat next to the window, staring out at the same pristine moon the Gods and other inhabitants of this world saw every night. It was enormous and took up a lot of the sky they were able to see through their window, yet the stars that twinkled around it were even brighter.

"We're going to be okay. Don't worry," said Akihiko, hugging her tightly.

"I'm… not. Not anymore," she said, turning her eyes up to face him. "We'll get through this. Besides, we made a promise with the others, and I for one don't intend to break it."

**District 8 – **

"That was all so utterly pointless," Nan grumbled as the group returned to their quarters after the interviews. "All that parading and the interviews… and we don't even get sponsors this year!"

"Well, it is tradition," said Flynn. "So it's not surprising that they wanted to keep at least some parts of the Hunger Games untouched for the viewing audiences…"

"Well I, for one, am thrilled with our scores," said Yuri, grinning and lounging at the dinner table. "We should have gotten the top spot. I wonder what District Five did to make them outscore us…"

"I'm sure they showed the Gods something they liked. Or they're grading them higher to make them targets. But I think we'd be silly to underestimate them, especially if there are weapons of a magical variety in there," said Judith.

"Well I know I was holding back during my demonstrations. I only showed them about half of what I was capable of," said Nan, ripping off a piece of bread and dunking it in some sort of meaty broth. "I didn't even touch on my snares and traps… I'm gonna have no trouble trapping those other tributes here."

"I'm still… reluctant to murder children…" Flynn muttered.

"Hey. Remember. This wasn't our choice. Our only goal now is to survive," said Yuri, his voice dropping to a more serious level.

"Yuri's right. Aside from the honor of District 8 that we should consider, we can't afford to be lenient in the battlefield," said Judith.

"Don't you worry about that with me," said Nan, her eyes narrowing. "Like I said… I'll kill anyone who gets in my way."

"I think we should group up as soon as we can, that way we can be sure to—," began Flynn.

"No. Not me, not right away," said Yuri. "There's a lot of tributes out there. I'm going to lay low for a while. We're up against 44 enemies. It'll be easier for us to move and stay safe if we just stay separate from each other. Once the crowd has thinned out, we should definitely regroup."

"I have no intention of grouping up with the likes of you," said Nan. "I work better alone anyway."

"I plan to live amongst the trees," said Judith, grinning. "They won't even see me coming, let alone be able to attack me. Reconnaissance is my top priority at first."

"I'm amazed you'll be showing restraint, Judy," said Yuri, chuckling. "I figured you'd be the first one into the bloodbath."

"Only if it will grant me a usable weapon," she replied, winking at him. "Otherwise, I'd rather learn as much about the arena as I can before I start to fight."

"Okay… fine…" Flynn muttered, sighing. "In that case, everyone just stay safe. And don't do anything reckless. Especially you, Yuri, and you, Nan. We can't afford to have our strength cut; the competition this year is fiercer than we've ever seen it."

"Yeah. Districts Two, Four, and Six are going to be our biggest competition," agreed Yuri. "At least we don't have to worry about Nine as much this year… they seem relatively harmless."

"Don't underestimate any of them," growled Nan. "I watched some of them in training. They are young, but they will scrap and fight and claw their way into survival. And I think they're playing up their size and age to try and trick us into a false sense of security."

"Okay, okay, don't underestimate Nine, got it," Yuri said, holding his hands up in surrender. "What about Eleven? Should we be careful with them?"

"No," Nan replied immediately. "Nothing more than cannon fodder."

"Can we just… not talk about them like that?" Flynn muttered, picking at a plate of food he'd made for himself. "I just… it burns me to have to murder innocents…"

"Let's talk about something else," said Judith, brightly. "What did you all do for your training today, exactly?"

Truthfully, Yuri was happy to have a change of subject with Judy. The pit of anger he felt for the Gods in his stomach grew every time he had to imagine himself killing one of the youngsters from District Nine, all of which reminded him of the kids from the lower quarter. Or those from the basic districts of One, Seven, Ten, Eleven, or Twelve, where their worlds were stable and walking outside didn't almost guarantee death via monster. They may have sealed everyone's powers and made it so they were on a 'level playing field,' but Yuri also knew he wasn't going to be bested by any greenhorn fighter in the arena.

"I think it might be okay to group up with some people… the trustworthy ones from the non-threatening districts," said Judith.

"I'm not doing that," Nan said, flatly. "I'll just kill anyone who tries to group up with me."

"I think that's a mistake on you part," said Yuri. "I don't think we should trust anyone from Two or Six, and it goes without saying we shouldn't trust that psycho from Four. Or that angry chick from Three. But beyond that we may find use for those in the lesser Districts."

"I agree," said Flynn. "And if they're like the tributes from the past few years, those from the higher-numbered Districts will be looking for protection, at least at first."

"All right… I think we've talked enough about this gloom and doom. Let's just spend the rest of tonight talking about literally anything but tomorrow," said Yuri. "Hey, Flynn, remember when we were still in the Knights and we got in that bar fight with the twins…?"

Nan didn't seem to appreciate the sudden shift in the stories, stomping off to bed after the third tale of Yuri's rule-breaking and the punishment he and Flynn suffered because of it. Judith, however, was really into it, giggling and chuckling at all the right spots as they recounted tales of their youth. By the time any of them realized it, the moon was well on its way through the sky and the clock on the wall told them that, at least in Terca Lumeres time, they should have gone to bed hours ago.

"All right… that's enough for me," said Flynn. "Time for some shut-eye. See you tomorrow, Yuri, Judith."

Yuri stood up and stretched, his joints and back cracking from sitting for so long. "You coming to bed, Judy?"

"In a minute… gonna say goodnight to Ba'ul," said Judith, going to sit next to the window.

"You can still talk to him?" Yuri asked in shock, spinning around.

Judith grinned and winked at him. "The Gods seem to think they sealed all of our powers… but it appears to me that they've missed a few after all. It makes me wonder… what do our other combatants have at their arsenal that we aren't aware of…?"

**District 9 – **

Genis stuffed his face with food during their final dinner. The others ate with a little more restraint, but Genis wanted to make sure he gave his body the chance to put on as much weight and strength as possible for the next day. Once he finally started to slow down, the others began to make conversation for the first time since they came to their quarters.

"It was good of Caesar to paint us all as victims with hard lives," said Seles. "That's not to say it's a lie, of course, but I believe that it makes us more innocent looking… as though we aren't threats."

"Heh… fools. Just wait until we get our hands on weaponry," said Mithos. "Anyone who says that District Nine is an easy target will be badly mistaken."

"I think we'll be fine, really," said Genis, wiping his mouth off as his stomach groaned with content. "After all, we've all fought together, and we did so well in training…"

"Those scores were ridiculous," seethed Mithos. "I know I, for one, did a lot better, especially when they unsealed us momentarily to check out a comparison."

"I agree" said Presea. "My performance was more than adequate during both my sealed and unsealed phases. The Game Gods have manipulated our scores."

"I showed them combat and magic abilities… on a high scale, I might add," Seles said. "My Freeze Lancer spell took out twelve dummies… at once, even! That deserves more than a stupid seven…"

"And I commanded a massive flow of spells," Genis said. "Everything from Fireball to Absolute to Tidal Wave to Cyclone… I left that training area a mess."

"Perhaps that was their way of warning us that magical artifacts will not be a part of tomorrow's arena?" Presea suggested.

"That doesn't make sense, or your score would have been much higher. No, I'm sure the Gods think they're being clever and trying to make us seem weak and basic," Mithos said. "Which just… infuriates me!"

"Well, just wait until tomorrow, then," said Seles. "They're still doing us a favor. Nobody will suspect us, so when we show what we're able to do… we will win easily."

"So… what is our strategy?" asked Genis. "Like… what should we do?"

"We should obtain weaponry and armor as soon as feasibly possible," said Presea. "We do not know what exactly we will face as the days go on… so gathering supplies is a must."

"They did tell us that there will be two Cornucopias, so I think our best bet is to group with whoever we have with us at the start," said Seles. "And then we should try our best to regroup."

"How will we find each other if we are split?" asked Genis.

"Easy. We kill the competition until there's only the four of us left," said Mithos.

"That… may prove difficult. I am concerned about certain other Districts, many of whom seem to be equal to us in terms of world conditioning…" said Presea.

"Yeah, most of them are fighters, too. And most of them know each other. It seems… very odd for this to all be a coincidence," said Seles.

"I agree," said Genis. "Do you think we can trust anyone else, even for a temporary alliance?"

"No," said Mithos, immediately. "Trust no one. With the Districts as teams this year, you are only making yourself vulnerable. If you are separated from Nine, stay away from all others and their lies."

"I… understood," said Seles. "Well… I shall now bid you all good night. May the odds be in our favor."

"Agreed," said Genis. "Good night, Seles."

Presea soon followed after and Genis and Mithos walked to their rooms together. They quietly discussed some of their more fearsome opponents, as well as strategies for how to stay alive during the following day. Genis was suddenly struck by how not-nervous he was. Considering that tomorrow was a fight to the death… but then again, he was used to that by now.

"And it's because you're a half-elf," said Mithos, when Genis expressed his feelings. "Remember… we are above all those humans we're fighting tomorrow. We have the best of both worlds. And we'll show them… and everyone in District Nine… that blood elves are not the scum of the earth, but rather among the most powerful beings in the world."

**District 10 – **

The first thing everyone did when they got back to their quarters was to shower and scrape off the make-up they'd been wearing to the show. One by one everyone returned to the dining room to get their final dinner in the training center's accommodations. Teruhiko and Shayla had already completed their first course by the time Jack and Melody showed back up, the latter's hair still wrapped in a towel and their faces flush from the hot shower.

"Glad you lovebirds could join us," Teruhiko joked.

They returned with a hollow laugh. "Well… you know… it's our last night before the Games, so… we thought a little last-minute privacy was in order…"

Shayla nodded. "Understandable. Now that you're here… let's discuss some things."

"Like what? Stay alive, right? And don't run into the blood bath?" Melody asked.

"Yes, but, more importantly, make evasion your top priority," said Shayla. "Do not kill unless absolutely necessary."

"Yeah… about that… have you heard anything from Siyon yet?" asked Teruhiko in a whisper.

"Don't worry, we are being unmonitored here," said Shayla. "We can speak normally and freely. The Gods do not monitor us on our last night. But… no, I have not made contact with her just yet. But I know she's trying and will break through to us in a few days' time. She still has to be careful since this is her first year as a Priestess Ascended…"

"And that Lady Shandra will help, right?" asked Melody. "She seemed to be on our side…"

"I… do not know how much she can help, but she will do what she can to assist," said Shayla. "The most important thing… defense. Get weapons, but don't be stupid. This goes for you especially, Teruhiko…"

"Hey, trust me… I'm not about to run into the fray. I may have been loud and crazy during training, but I'm not an idiot," he said, chuckling. "Jack and I will behave."

"When we split from the Cornucopia, if you can see the other person, run with them in a way that gets you as far away from danger as possible… and then regroup and keep running," said Jack.

"As things die down, if you can, make contact with safe, desirable tributes. We… will not be able to save everyone, regrettably," said Shayla, sighing. "But I know there are many we can trust. I can sense it. Grune from District Two, Saki Hanajima from District Three, Vyse and Fina from District Four, Luna Lovegood from District Five, and almost all of Districts Seven, Eleven, and Twelve should be okay, except for possibly the Aragaki boy in Seven, though I think if we can get his friends, we can get him."

"Are there any we should avoid outright?" asked Melody.

"We can unfortunately write off Ramirez from District Four and Asch from District Six indefinitely. I'm not sure even getting their teammates on our side would be suitable. Same with Nan from District Eight. Kyoya Ohtori from District One is not to be trusted until we have convinced the others to join us. And guys, do not go near Benio Amakusa under any circumstances until I've had the chance to speak with her," said Shayla.

"Geeze… that's gonna be hard to keep straight in my head," said Melody, sighing. "I don't suppose we can just tell everyone the plan?"

"It wouldn't work… it's too good to be true. I'm not sure I even believe it…" Teruhiko said. "We'd just have our throats cut for stopping. Everyone is ready to fight to the death tomorrow. We have to be ready too, y'know? In case things don't… work out…"

Shayla nodded, rubbing her forehead. It was a risk, of course, that Siyon may be found out or would not be able to penetrate the barriers into the arena… in which case they would eventually have to fight for real to become victorious. If they didn't do it willingly, the Game Gods would force it after a while. And then they would lose their chance to be rid of the Gods forever.

"So… we make friends, we stay alive… and we regroup. Seems like an easy plan when you just say it out loud," said Jack, smiling sadly.

"Yeah," said Shayla. "I know it's useless to say this, but let's try and get some sleep… we are going to need all of our strength for tomorrow… and an indefinite amount of days to come."

**District 11 – **

Tina hadn't calmed down since the ending of the interviews. Her high score, especially compared to Quinn's, hadn't made any sense to her when it was announced, and her nerves showed no signs of stopping as she jabbered away nervously through dinner, working herself into a near full-blown panic attack several times before one of the others distracted her long enough for her to catch her breath.

"And… and for my private sessions today I didn't do anything special. I… I used a wand and showed that I knew how to construct some really cheap snares… and… and… what food to eat… but I missed every time with the ranged weapons…" Tina said.

"Yes, Tina, we know," said Puck. "You've only said it like 30 times."

"But… but… this could be our last night alive…" Tina said, softly.

The others winced and fell silent as a quick sob escaped Tina. They were all aware of this, of course, but thinking the thought itself in its entirety… was too scary, and far too painful. The uneasy silence persisted until Puck finally started talking about his performance, and why he definitely deserved the score he got.

"… and you should have seen how many fell when I threw the ax across the room! And I even managed to do that power thing they showed us, when they unsealed us…" said Puck, enthusiastically. "They had to have been speechless; I think I actually broke part of the wall!"

"Or they made you a target for breaking their precious gym," said Quinn, dismissively. "I showed a well-rounded knowledge of weaponry and survival skills that I'd learned all week… but I guess they weren't as impressed with my lack of specialization."

"Or they're purposely messing with your scores… you know they do that," said Sam. "Don't let it get to you, Quinn."

"I'm not," she replied, smoothing out her hair. "I won't let anything distract me tomorrow."

"… I'm so scared, you guys… I don't want to be here… I don't want to die," said Tina.

"I know, Tina, we are all scared. Whether we admit it or not," said Sam, glancing at Puck, who still demolished a hunk of some sort of meaty leg. "But we can't let it show, not until we can regroup. If we stay together… maybe… maybe we can win."

"Against the warriors and soldiers and knights from the other districts?!" cried Tina.

"Oh my God, Tina, enough! Just stop!" Puck exclaimed. "You're bringing us all down!"

"Well she's scared, Puck! We're not all ready to kill like you," said Quinn.

"I'm ready to do what it takes to survive… not that any of you would know about that…" hissed Puck.

"Oh, really? Did you forget those few months where we were homeless and I had to take my fucking clothes off to support my family?" asked Sam, standing up. "If you all want to give up hope, fine! But I'm not going to stop fighting until I can go back home… or die trying!"

The four broke off away from each other, though no one left the room. Tina held her head in her hands, rocking back and forth as silent tears fell down her face. Puck slammed his plate of food over on a counter in a kitchen area, fuming as he glared at the wall in front of him. Sam stood next to a wall, his hand gripping it, his body quivering with frustration. Quinn sat against the far window, her head against the glass, looking out into the lights of the city of the Gods they were stationed in for the time being. It reminded her very strongly of New York City. And before she knew it, she was singing.

"_I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'd never let you go…_" she sang, softly.

As her voice carried around the room, the others turned to look at her. Quinn continued to sing under her breath, rocking back and forth. Sam and Tina wiped their eyes and walked over to stand next to the singing girl. Puck disappeared momentarily but returned a few moments later with a guitar in tow, as Quinn finished the first chorus.

"_Don't you dare look out your window, darling everything's on fire…"_ sang Sam, making Quinn spin around in surprise.

"_The war outside our door keeps raging on…_" Tina added.

"_Hold on to this lullaby, even when the music's gone,_" they sang together, as Quinn smiled.

"_Just close your eyes; the sun is going down…" everyone sang. "You'll be all right; no one can hurt you now… come morning light… you and I'll be safe… and… sound…"_

Puck strummed his guitar as they launched back into the song from the beginning, their voices filling the room. Tina smiled through her tears, belting out a particularly powerful solo line in their second attempt at the chorus. Puck kept the beat, strumming and slapping the side of his guitar as Sam and Quinn sang the second verse again.

"_Come morning light… you and I'll be safe… and… sound…_" they all sang, coming to the end.

"I never thought we'd spend our last night singing T-Swift," said Puck, after silence filled the room again.

"It… it was nice. It almost felt like we were back in District Ele… Lima," said Tina.

"Yeah… and I mean it. We are going to all be fine tomorrow. We need to stick together and do what we need to do to survive. If we wait long enough, maybe everyone else will kill each other and we won't have to… fight…" Quinn said.

"Yeah…" agreed Sam, throwing his arms around Puck and Quinn, who in turn threw theirs around Tina. "So let's do this for our friends, our families, and the rest of New Directions. Let's have another song, yeah?"

"And… any time you're nervous… let's use 'Safe and Sound' as the promise we made to make it through and survive," said Tina. "Thanks for that, Quinn."

"It was nothing. We need to practice for the Victory parade… we'll be the first District to sing at the end of it," said Quinn, smiling brightly. "So… what shall we sing next?"

**District 12 – **

From the top story, Yu was amazed at how much of the God's city he could see. It wasn't anything like Inaba, and it was far bigger than Iwatodai. Since he and Yosuke had lived in cities for most of their childhood and Rise and Naoto were both well-travelled, the splendor only held their attention for a few minutes before the creeping feelings of dread and doubt and fear began to grip them. Yu picked at his meal, but the girls ate nothing and Yosuke only drank jug after jug of water, sneaking off to the bathroom every five minutes thereafter. After he returned for the third time, Naoto finally spoke up.

"It bothers me to have to even consider this, but… what should our plan of attack be tomorrow?" she asked.

"I think our best offense is a good defense, honestly," said Yu. "We've fought before, but this isn't like fighting Shadows… and our Personas seem to be as good as sealed."

"I've tried to summon Susano-o all night… no luck," said Yosuke. "I could do it during training today, for the brief moment when they unsealed us, but it was more like… I had his power inside me, as opposed to him as an extension of myself."

"I remember something similar with Yamato Takeru… although I admit the shock of having the power myself may have led to an embarrassing error in training, which in turn lowered my score…" admitted Naoto, sheepishly.

"But, wow senpai!" Rise gushed. "I can't believe you scored 11 points! You're fantastic right up to the very end, huh?"

"You're wrong…" Yu said, quietly. "This… this isn't the end. Yukiko, Chie, Kanji, Teddie, Nanako… they're all waiting for us back in Inaba. We have to get back to District Twelve."

"You said it, partner," said Yosuke, clapping him on the back. "And after the crazy year we've been having… I have no doubt that we can do it."

"So… since they're splitting us up at the two Cornucopias tomorrow, what should we do?" asked Rise.

"Split up and then join together," said Yu.

"Do not go into the fray at the beginning. If you can sneak something as you are running away, fine, but don't get involved in the bloodbath," said Naoto. "We are not in prime fighting condition without our Personas and can't afford to be injured early on."

"From there, we should regroup, right?" asked Yosuke. "So whichever two are going to be at the same starting point should work together to stay alive until we can all regroup."

"Exactly," said Yu. "When you can, get weapons… and do what you need to do to survive. I don't like this… this isn't me… but we've already faced the worst sides of ourselves once. And whatever happens… that's on the Game Gods, not us."

"You're right… if they hadn't forced us here, we wouldn't have to possibly consider killing innocent children and teens tomorrow," Rise muttered.

"I think we should seriously consider our rivals, both as allies and risks," said Naoto. "There are several I do not trust at all…"

"Yeah," Yosuke said. "Anyone willing to murder their own teammates, for one…"

"Right," said Naoto nodding. "But I do not believe District Six or District Nine will be anything close to helpful… they were very cold and segregated during training and I don't think I ever saw them share one nice word with another group."

"We can always rely on District Seven, at least until they're… you know…" Rise said, catching herself as she spoke. "Oh… it'd be horrible if any of them were my fans…"

"You make a valid point, though," Naoto said. "Seven and Twelve often work together, at least at first, during most of the games."

Yu frowned. "What do you think about District Ten?" he asked.

"I… actually am not threatened by them," said Naoto.

"Yeah… the girls were so kind to me during training; that Melody girl even let me borrow some eye-liner she snuck in here," she said. "I don't want to be the one to kill her…"

"There's something about… the redhead girl, Shayla," said Yu. "It's like… she seems to know too much. I'm not sure how I feel about it…"

"Like that guy from District One? He creeps me out…" Yosuke said, shivering.

"I would only trust Haruhi from District One… the others seem too calculating or unbalanced," said Naoto.

"I… don't want to get too attached to any of them, though…" Rise muttered. "Because… for us to win… all of them have to die."

"Yeah… but don't let it get to you," said Yu, stroking Rise's cheek. "It's… it's something we have to do… as awful as it is."

Yu and the others stared out the window again, sighing. They sat listlessly for a few more minutes until Naoto suggested they all go to bed to try and gather as much energy as possible for the next day. Once he was alone in his room, Yu's thoughts drifted to not only his family members, but the dozens of friends he'd made in Inaba over the short time he'd stayed there. He could feel them cheering him on from across time and space, and that gave him the resolve to steel himself for whatever the next day would bring. _It's not my choice_ he repeated to himself, as he drifted slowly to sleep. _I won't let this become… my new shadow…_

"Well folks! It has come! The night before the big games!" exclaimed Caesar. "Joining us one last time before he becomes consumed with making sure the Games are a success… Game God Delta!"

"It is good to be here with you again," said Delta. "But we have many last minute things to attend to, so let us commence quickly with our business."

"The Cornucopia… since there's two of them, we wondered if you might share with us the starting positions of each of our candidates. For strategic last second betting purposes, of course," said Caesar.

"That should be no problem. All of our tributes are now asleep and access to any sort of communication has been cut off. That in mind… with the North Cornucopia we arranged them by District, in order, around on the metal starting plates. The South was absolutely random. But two tributes are at each Cornucopia, to prevent dominance at one or the other by a certain District."

"And here is the line up!" exclaimed Caesar, as a diagram appeared. "Starting at the top and working our way around clockwise…"

**North Cornucopia:**

District 1: Haruhi Fujioka

District 2: Jay

District 3: Hatsuharu Sohma

District 4: Fina

District 5: Hermione Granger

District 6: Luke fon Fabre

District 7: Hamuko Arisato

District 8: Flynn Scifo

District 9: Mithos

District 10: Teruhiko Yakako

District 11: Noah "Puck" Puckerman

District 12: Yosuke Hanamura

District 1: Kaoru Hitachiin

District 2: Chloe Valens

District 3: Saki Hanajima

District 4: Vyse

District 5: Fred Weasley

District 6: Asch the Bloody

District 7: Yukari Takeba

District 8: Yuri Lowell

District 9: Genis Sage

District 10: Melody Moon

District 11: Quinn Fabray

District 12: Naoto Shirogane

**South Cornucopia: **

District 1: Kyoya Ohtori

District 6: Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear

District 4: Ramirez

District 7: Shinjiro Aragaki

District 10: Jack Harper

District 8: Nan

District 11: Sam Evans

District 9: Presea Combatir

District 3: Rin Sohma

District 5: Harry Potter

District 2: Will Reynard

District 12: Yu Narukami

District 7: Akihiko Sanada

District 12: Rise Kujikawa

District 4: Kirala

District 8: Judith

District 9: Seles Wilder

District 5: Luna Lovegood

District 11: Tina Cohen-Chang

District 1: Benio Amakusa

District 3: Yuki Sohma

District 10: Shayla Harper

District 6: Anise Tatlin

District 2: Grune


End file.
